How A Reunion Brought Back More Than Bad Yearbooks
by HAWTgeek
Summary: Annabeth and Percy broke up when Percy was offered a job in Hawaii that he had been trying to get for years. Soon after this, she learned she was pregnant. Knowing Percy would leave that job he had always worked for, she never told him.Maybe its time?
1. Chapter 1

Annabeth:

I stood in the bedroom of the townhouse Percy and I had called home for the last two years. He was gone. He had gone to Hawaii. Through the blurriness of my crying eyes I could manage to yet again reread the silver device in my hand. He had received a job offer in the Hawaii, and that had caused a lot of problems for us. I said I would go with him, but he knew I would have to leave my job that I loved. Percy had kissed me goodbye and told me he loved me. I loved him, too, and I knew this was what he had always worked for in his career as a Marine Biologist. I just needed to be okay with the fact he was gone, but it wasn't just me anymore. This test proved just that.

I was pregnant.

Two years and eight months later:

"Annie," Rachel hugged me like the best friend she was. We've been pretty close since high school, but, when I moved out west to be around my dad as he was getting older and wouldn't live forever, we haven't seen each other much. Then add a new baby for me to raise alone into the mix, and you don't get much time with your best friend in the entire world.

"Rachel," I smiled as she pulled me into that bear hug that felt like it was about to break my ribs, and I should know. When I was thirteen, my ribs were broken. A pang of pain hit me as I thought of Percy.

"Where's my godson?" Rachel smiled giddily like a little child awaiting a new puppy.

"With his Grandfather. I didn't think it would be very good for Luke to come," I told her. Luke was my son. His dad still didn't even know that Luke had been born. It isn't like he left me. Luke's dad got an amazing job offer, and I couldn't go with. Because I knew he would leave the job he spent so much time working to get, I never told him.

"Does he know yet?" Rachel asked me.

"I've tried. I have. I just…I just haven't found the right way," I told her.

"Your son is two, Annabeth. Percy needs to know. Luke is his child, too, after all," Rachel told me as we started rolling our suitcases down the terminal. The school reunion was this weekend. I didn't know if Percy was coming, but I knew what I had to do if he was. But what if he wasn't fit to be a father? Well, then I wouldn't tell him. I would just come home and scoop my son into a hug. But what if he was fit to be a father? How would I tell him? Would Percy blame for not telling? Would he even want to be a father to Luke or just stay unknown to Luke like he has been for the last two years? I didn't know. I didn't even know if Percy still lived in Hawaii. I was moving because of a promotion in New York. NY to Hawaii? It might have been easier when I still lived in Cali, but I don't anymore. I should have told him years ago.

"How would I tell him? 'Hey, Perce. Great to see you, again. Did I mention we have a son I never told you about?" I asked Rachel. She rolled her 'Saint Patrick's Day' green eyes and let out a warm and friendly smile.

"Annabeth, I get what you're going at, but Percy is Luke's father. If you wait to tell him, he'll lose even more time with Luke," Rachel told me. If it was possible, she made me feel even guiltier.

**Okay, so this was just something I worked on over Spring Break. I have about three or four more chapters of WE ALL GROW UP, EVEN PERCABETH unless I decide to delay ending it like last time. Anyway, this was just something I thought about when I had writer's block. My stories might be taking a while to get published A. because I have like 5 stories B. because I am writing a book! **

**Well, more like two. Anyway, it will take me a while before I'm finished. So, I've been kinda busy with that. Then, I have SAT [not the college one. Like CRCT or whatever your school calls the end of the year testing] coming up. Then Seth is driving me crazy. Oh, and his girlfriend is jealous that we are best friends so she keeps hitting me. don't you just want my life?**

**Whatever, I'm going to see if this takes off. If it doesn't, I'll have to press that evil 'DELETE' button. Ughh, [chill run downs spine].**


	2. Chapter 2

Annabeth:

"I'm lu-ving this!" Rachel called out while sipping her drink.

"Rach, we've been here for an hour, and this is your first drink. You hang out with, like, the god of partying. How are you 'lu-ving' this?" I asked while taking a sip of my own drink.

"Apollo is also the god of steamy nights. Sure, we go out to clubs, but I cant drink. He thinks that he'll lose control, and the Oracle must keep her 'V' ring," Rachel looked at her hand. To ward off guys, she wore a purity ring. Either they thought it was a purity ring or wedding ring. Both aren't too preferable with guys.

"Sorry, forgot," I took another sip of the drink.

"Speaking of steamy nights, when the last time you had one?" Rachel smiled.

"Ugh, turns out being a single mom hurts your love life," I sighed.

"You never answered my question," Rachel nudged me.

"Around three years," I answered.

"Now that we're on the topic of Three Years, where is that Kelp Head?" Rachel asked.

"We don't even know he's coming," I told her.

"We do now," Rachel pointed to a young guy walking next to another man. Looking at him, I felt my heart stop. It had been three years since I had last seen him, but the sight of him still sent sparks coursing through my body. His green eyes looked jet lagged as he pulled his suitcase along behind him.

"Annabeth!" Rachel snapped her fingers in front of my face.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Ten- fifteen- seconds," Rachel shrugged.

"Perfect," I sighed.

"Someone's not over him," Rachel poked me.

"I am, too. He just reminds me of Luka," I told her. Luka was one of the many nicknames for Luke.

"He should," Rachel crossed her arms. I looked back down. I've got to work on what I say.

"_I guess this means your sorry-" _my phone started to play. I snapped up the Droid X.

"Hello?" I slid out of my seat at the bar to find a place where Rachel couldn't send me 'TELL-HIM!' looks.

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah, Dad. Is he okay?" I hurried to ask my dad.

"Luke's fine. I called to check on you," my dad answered.

"Dad, your turning to Rachel. I'm fine," I answered.

"Sweetheart, are you going to tell him?" Dad asked me.

"Dad, I'll see how it works out. Tell Luka I love and miss him," I told him.

"Fine. Bye, Annabeth," Dad told me. I hung up and fell back to the wall.

"Ugh!" I yelled.

"Annabeth?" a voice asked. My heart stopped again. Why was this starting to become a regular thing? I looked up to see Percy. Sure, he was pale from jet lag, and his eyes were tired. But, he still looked like hotter than California in July. Oh gods, I'm going Aphro Girl. Ugh!

"Percy?" I asked. He smiled.

"Yeah. How have you been? I haven't seen you in, what? Three years?" Percy looked at me. I tried to control the blush that was forming on my cheeks.

"Yeah, about three years. Um, I'm good. Just moved back to New York. How are you? Still loving Hawaii?" I asked him.

"Actually, I'm finished there. The job was only for two years. I'm moving to New York to work on the Hudson," Percy answered. New York? He could see Luke.

"Perce," a guy's voice called out.

"Coming!" Percy yelled back.

"I better go. You know how Grover get's. It's been great seeing you, Annabeth," Percy smiled before walking away. I nodded and watched him go. As soon as I knew he couldn't see me, I shrunk down to the ground. The father of my child. I just saw the father of my child. He was living in the same place I was. I had to tell him. I had to. Just how?

"_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep," the alarm clock rang. In my head it was mocking me with 'Anna. Beth. Get. Up.'_

"_Ugh," Luke moaned. I looked back down at my one-year old. _

"_Luka, wakey wakey," I nudged him._

"_Mommy, I don't wanna get up," Luke complained as his sea green eyes fluttered open._

"_Fine, then I guess you don't want waffles," I looked away. Luke jumped straight out of bed and ran to the door in the toddler waddle I love._

"Ughh!" I opened my eyes. No Luke. No Percy. Nobody but me. The reunion was for the next three days. Parties each night. Great. More hangovers.

"Annabeth, wake up!" Rachel continued to rock me to wake me up.

"Why?" I moaned.

"Because, we are going to the coffee shop downstairs. Then I'm going to the pool to wear a small bikini. You are going to work on your book in the coffee shop. Then we are going shopping. Because I am soo not wearing the dress Apollo told me to wear. You can so not wear the one you have either," Rachel told me. I groaned.

"Fine," I slipped out of the hotel bed and went over to the closet. I slid on a pair of jeans and reached for a blue button up.

"Uh-uh," Rachel shook her head at the top.

"What do you want me to wear then?" I crossed my arms. Rachel pushed pass me and reached for a grey peasant blouse with a drawstring at the bottom.

"Oh, and wear these," Rachel reached for a pair of grey flats and forced both items into my arms.

"Fine," I rolled my eyes and ran into the bathroom to change. Finally, I tied the drawstring and looked at myself. My curls were pushed into a bun and dark circles rimmed my eyes. I forced my hair down to look at my hair. I managed to push the brush through the tangles. My hair bounced right back to the wavy curls it always held. I spread the concealer over my pale face and threw on a little blush.

"Better. Now come on," Rachel pulled me by my arm. In her other arm, she held my oversized grey bag and her drawn-on canvas tote.

"Rachel! What's the hurry?" I asked.

"You'll see," Rachel continued to run in her converse. Why had I agreed to these stiff flats? I groaned as she pushed me into the elevator. Nervously, she tapped her tennis shoes. She was up to something.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Getting coffee. What else?" Rachel didn't meet my gaze.

"Fine," I raised my eyebrows as if ordering her to tell me. She just guiltily looked at the elevator floor. I rolled my grey eyes. Followed by a ding of the elevator door, I shouldered my grey bag and followed her into the lobby.

"It's time!" Rachel yelled as we got into the coffee shop. I looked at her with surprise. Rachel pushed me forward until I was standing a mere three inches away from Percy. Behind Percy, Grover pushed him to three centimeters away from me. Embarrassed, I blushed to the color of Rachel's hair. Percy looked down and smiled nervously.

"Now, both of you, stay. If either of you leave, you're dead," Rachel warned.

"We'll be back in thirty minutes. You both better still be here then," Grover told us. We nodded and watched them go.

"Well, this wasn't how I planned it, but I was meaning to talk to you," Percy smiled. That goofy smile made me blush again.

"Me too," I smiled.

"So, care for a seat?" Percy asked. I nodded yes, and he pulled a seat open for me. Smiling, I sat and watched him sit in a seat across from me.

"So, you never answered. How was Hawaii?" I smiled.

**_So, you love it? You hate it? You think it is beyond brilliant? You think it 'Stuh-inks!'? Ugh, you know not answering is very rude! Ah-nay Wah-ay, it'll get better. I have a perf idea for Percy finding out, but the second chapter would be too soon, right?_**

**_And doh-nt you just luh-ove my new wa-ords!_**

_Translation:_

_So, you love it? You hate it? You think it is beyond brilliant? You think it stinks? You know not answering is very rude. Any way, it'll get better. I have a perfect idea for Percy finding out, but the second chapter would be too soon, right?_

_And don't you just love my new words!_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Annabeth:**_

_"Mommy, why is the water green?" Luke asked me as he held a picture in his chubby fingers. I walked over to where he was sitting and sat beside him on the hardwood floors. His green eyes were staring intently at the small piece of paper_.

"_What do you mean?" I asked. _

"_The water's green, Mommy," he pointed to the lake in the picture. I couldn't hold in a gasp. In his hands, he held a picture that I had taken of his father when we were at the lake. Percy's lips were forming a smile and he was taking a picture of me taking a picture of him._

"_Luka, where'd you find this?" I asked._

"_Under the bed," he answered. I knew I should have gotten his stuffed rabbit, Wabbie, instead of letting him get it. I wrapped my arms around Luke as I looked at it._

"_The water's green because of Algae. Algae is a very, very small plant in the water," I told him. He was just like his dad with the fact he loved water, but he was like me with the quest for knowledge. I kissed the side of his head like Percy used to do for me when he was trying to get me on a new topic._

"_Mommy, who is he?" Luke pointed to Percy._

"_Percy, an old friend of Mommy's," I answered._

"_Mommy, I love you," Luke asked me. I stopped the tears that were forming. I clutched Luke closer to me. It had been my choice not to tell Percy about Luke. Percy had worked so hard to get that job. I just couldn't let him leave it. He would have done the same for me. There were times-like now-where I wondered if I had made the right decision. If Percy knew, would he blame me? What about Luke? Is this best for him? I forced a smile on my face._

"_I love you so much, Luke," I kissed his cheek. _

"_Bring! Bring!" the phone rang. I picked up Luke and got up to answer the phone._

"Bring! Bring!" my phone broke me out of my day dream.

"Hello?" I asked as I answered it.

"MOMMY!" Luke called out.

"Luke," I smiled.

"I can't find Wabbie!" Luke yelled.

"Oh, Sweetheart, look under the bed," I told her.

"Mommy, it isn't there!" he yelled again.

"Luke, just look under the bed," I told him.

"WABBIE!" Luke yelled in happiness.

"Found it?" I asked.

"Yes, Mommy. I love you!"

"Love you, too, Luke. Mommy's gotta go. Tell Grandpa I said hi," I told my son.

"Bye, Mommy!" Luke tolled me before hanging up.

"How's my godson?" Rachel asked me as she pulled the rental car into a parking space. We both got out of the car into the shop parking lot. I looked at the Florida tag to remember where we parked. Yeah, Florida. Why we were in Florida when we went to school in NYC, I don't know. Anyway, it doesn't matter. The burning sun pored through to my unprotected skin.

"Come on, Annabeth," Rachel started to walk to the store. I followed after her. It wasn't too hard with the fact I was finally back in my grey converse.

"What happened to the Oracle I knew who didn't even wear dresses?" I asked.

"Listen, Annabeth. I love you. You're my best friend, but listen. I don't wear dresses, but this isn't about me. This about you. Not Luke. Not your dad. You. I know how you still feel about him, but you're scared. I'm here to help," Rachel answered with a smile, "And if that speech didn't do it for you, think about your son. Luke needs his father," Rachel took on a serious face. As if I could stop thinking about that. Did I make the right move not telling? At first, when I was pregnant it was perfect idea. Then by the time he was born, it was not too good, but not terrible. Now? I don't even know anymore.

"What if he doesn't want to father Luke? Or what if he doesn't want to be with me?" I spoke what had been hidden in the back of my mind where I thought it would never form onto my tongue.

"Annabeth," Rachel turned stopped to look at me. Her emerald eyes wore a sympathetic look that I usually hated from people, but I didn't hate it from Rachel. If anyone else looked at me like that after they found out about Luke's not here dad, I would have slapped them and walked away, strutting a 'do-I-look-like-I-care-what-you-think' walk.

"Rachel, I know. I know. Come on. I don't know about you, but there is no way I am crying in the middle of a parking lot," I told her. Rachel let out a quick laugh and nodded.

"Come on. Let's go get you a hot dress to show off those Mom-Curves and make Percy's jaw drop," Rachel pulled me along by my arm. _Mom-Curves?_ From anyone else, I would have steamed. From Rachel? Well, Rachel is the one exception for most things like that.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Oh. My. God," Rachel smiled. I turned to look at myself in the mirror. A dress hung on me that hugged my every curve. Sure, it was white, and white and I did not get along in any matter. But that didn't matter. It glimmered it the bright lights of the dressing room. It went to my knees, but it didn't look like it belonged on a thirty year old. More like a twenty three year old.

"Is it too young?" I asked as I looked at it again. It was perfect. The straps, usually something that truly bugged at me, didn't scratch against my skin. The only part that might hurt would be the heels to match, but that was a different battle.

"Annie, it's perfect. If you don't buy it,-nope, scratch that. You _have_ to buy it. And don't you dare give me the price tag argument. Your new raise in New York could buy twenty of these. Anyway, if I have to, _I'll _get it," Rachel crossed her arms letting me know that I was in this whether I liked it or not. I smiled. Everyone needs a Rachel.

"Fine," I tried to sound angry, but even I didn't buy it.

**Percy:**

"So, how did your little date with Annabeth go?" Grover playfully nudged me.

"It was not a date," I told him.

"Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that," Grover told me. Then I saw her. Startling grey eyes searched through the crowd. She nervously bit her lip, but that didn't make her any less beautiful. Her blonde hair had been curled to frame her face. A shiny, white dress hugged every curve. A sparkling diamond necklace hung on her neck. She looked like a Snow Queen.

"Wow," the words formed on my tongue without my consent.

"Come on, Lover Boy. Close your mouth. Take these," Grover told me as he handed me two glasses of champagne. I should have said something in my defense, but I was too busy staring at Annabeth.

"Thanks," I took the drinks and started to make my way to Annabeth. Rachel parted from her friend, leaving Annabeth alone. Her nervous face lit up as she saw me.

"Hey," she smiled hopefully. I saw myself doing the same. I didn't know why. It had been years. She probably didn't feel the same as she did when we were living together. She probably didn't still love me, although I still loved her.

"Drink?" I offered. She smiled as if she had been hoping for the very question.

"Totally. I _need_ a drink," she answered. I handed her the champagne.

"Nice party, huh?" Annabeth asked as she finished her first sip.

"Just like high school. The jocks who ended up as losers," I pointed to one clique, "The cheerleaders. Some who married rich. Most who got pregnant at eighteen," I pointed to the group, "The nerds who did great for themselves. And, of course, the freaks like us," I smiled.

"So High School," she smiled as she took another sip.

"Someone had a bad day. What happened?" I noticed that she was almost done with her drink.

"Nervous," Annabeth answered.

"About what?" I asked. She finished the drink as if telling me that right now wasn't a good time to bring that up.

"So, how's life been? You never told me. I've been going on and on about me, and you haven't said word one," I told her.

"Well, Percy-" Annabeth started off.

"Oh my God! Ah, it's been so long since I've seen you!" a girl rushed over to us.

"Christy! Oh my God. How have you been?" Annabeth faked a sweetness. I started to wonder if she had faked it when I first saw her at the hotel. No, she wouldn't do that.

"Good. Getting married," Christy excitedly held up her hand to see a small ruby ring. Annabeth faked a convincing smile.

"Congratulations," Annabeth started.

"Thank you. We _have _to catch up. See you soon," Christy gushed before running off.

"So, Annabeth the Actor?" I smiled.

"Yes, I kind of picked it up along the way. You have to learn to be able to tell a client that in ten years they wont hate me for making this awful building," Annabeth smiled. I smiled, but as I looked into her eyes I saw that fear was hidden underneath. As soon as she realized that we were looking into each others eyes, she blushed and turned back to the party.

"So, how is work?" I asked.

"Good. Still loving it," Annabeth turned to look at me.

"So, how much longer of this torture do we have?" I asked.

"Well, if we walk out together, we are three drinks and two faking to dance wobbly to a song away. If we leave not pretending to be drunk, we are one hour and who know how many 'Oh my God! I havent seen you in forever!' talks," Annabeth answered.

"So, we're going for the drunk thing right?" I asked.

"God, yes. I'm not doing that Christy thing again," Annabeth smiled as she started grabbed my arm and pulled me off. I couldn't help but smile. A cheesy old song started to play. I ignored the eye roll that was begging to be set free.

**Was the drinking thing too much? I know Annabeth probably wouldn't do that. But hey? I knew what I wanted to do. How to do it? I don't know. So, yeah, new one will be AWESOME. Or at least I think it will be. So, I was wondering. After he finds out, do you want me to follow after that?**

**So, yeah, um… BYE YA'! [Like Hi Ya'! ugh, get some creativity, people!]**

**Working on my other stories. So give me a while! Sheesh!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Annabeth:**

I woke up to find myself smiling in my sleep. I turned in bed to look beside me.

What?

Percy was not asleep beside me. He wouldn't of left. He wouldn't. I sat up straighter to look around. Relieved, I sighed. Wait, what was he holding? _A picture frame? _Uh-oh.

"Percy?" I asked. He didn't answer. He was memorized by the silver frame in his hand. I slipped out of bed to sit beside him on the floor. I looked at the picture in his hand. In my arms, Luke was making a face as I kissed his cheek.

"What's his name?" Percy finally asked. I sighed. I knew I would have to do this. This was a good thing. Scary but good thing.

"Luke," I answered.

"What's he like?" Percy asked still not looking up from the picture.

"He loves water. Ask questions every few minutes like me. Great kid," I answered.

"Annabeth, is Luke my son?" Percy didn't look up.

"Luke is our son, yes," I answered. Percy finally looked up.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"I… I don't know. You had spent years trying to get that job, and-" I tried.

"Annabeth, he's my son," Percy seriously told me.

"Percy, I was scared okay. I-I thought it was a good idea then. I've been trying to tell you this entire time," I told him.

"You don't get it, Annabeth. When I was gone, I thought about calling you all the time. If I had called you once-_once_, and I would have known. Once, Annabeth, once!" Percy yelled frustrated. I put my arm around him to comfort him.

"Percy, let me get this straight. For the last five years, I have kept our son from knowing about you. I mean, you didn't even know about your son until now. And you are mad at yourself?" I asked trying to break the ever-growing solemnest entering the room.

"No, I mean, I was off in the dream place with my dream job, and you were raising my son," Percy told me. I had never thought about it like that. I guess I should have. How would I feel if while I was living my dream, Percy was raising Luke, not me?

"Percy, it wasn't like that. You didn't know. Don't ever think that it was you leaving your son," I told him.

"When can I meet him? Or can I meet him? Or what?" Percy asked nervously. I sighed again, relieved. No, I'm not sighing because I don't want him to know Luke. I'm not _that_ much of a hypocrite.

"I want you to meet Luke, but I have to warn you. If your not going to step in as Luke's dad, then you probably shouldn't step in," I told him. Percy looked back down at the picture. Then I saw it. Fear. Most guy's are usually stuck being a dad. They don't get a choice, but Percy does. Tears were threatening to fall.

"I know. My dad wasn't there for me. I know how that feels. I don't want to do that to my own son," Percy answered.

"You're sure?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow, "I mean, this means taking him to the dentist after having too much candy on Halloween. This means helping him after a bully was mean. Grounding him after doing something stupid. Helping him with his science project when he 'forgets' to do it," I warned.

"Annabeth, I'm sure," he answered.

"Well, Luke and I are moving to New York in two weeks. I guess, we can just work it out then," I answered. He nodded.

**Percy:**

"Hey, so, what happened to you last night? Have a little too much fun?" Grover nudged me.

"I have a son."

"Excuse me," Grover asked.

"Annabeth has a son, my son, that she didn't tell me about because she didn't want me to blame her for me not living my dream," I answered. Grover looked at me.

"Percy, did you just say that you have a son?" Grover asked me again. I nodded.

"When did you find out?" Grover asked.

"This morning. So about," I looked down at my watch, "three hours ago."

"Wait, this morning?" Grover asked with a cocked eyebrow. Seriously? I was talking about having a son, and he was more interested in me sleeping with Annabeth? When I found out Juniper was pregnant, I paid more attention to that then when the game that was going on. I'm sorry, but is Grover crazy?

"Grover, I just told you that I have a son that I never knew about, and you care more about how I spent last night," I crossed my arms.

"Sorry," Grover raised his hands in surrender, "So what happens now?"

"I don't know. I guess, meeting him," I slumped on my bed. I have a son. I cant believe it.

"So, I mean, are you and Annabeth get back together or are you going to raise him separated?" Grover sat on my bed beside me.

"I don't know. We said that we'll meet up in New York to work it out," I said.

"Wait, why not now?" Grover asked.

"Her flight leaves today," I answered.

"So just let me get this straight. You finally get the girl. She tells you that you have a son. Then she leaves saying you'll meet in New York. Did I miss anything?" Grover reassured.

"Nope," I answered.

"Wow," Grover answered, "Wait, _you have a son!_"

"You're just now getting that!" I asked.

**So, he took it weird I know. I also know that Grover is becoming somewhat of a pervert with wanting to know what happened, but hey, at least Percy knows. Anyway, I am loving the response of this story. So, the name. It sucks. Any ideas?**


	5. Chapter 5

Annabeth:

"So, when are you meeting up with Percy?" Rachel asked. I looked back down at my son. Tomorrow, we leave good old California to go across the country. How was I supposed to tell Luke about Percy being his dad? It would be easier if he were older, but he's only two. I walked out of my room to finish the phone call.

"When I get to New York, I'm going to call him, and we're going to set up how to tell Luke," I answered.

"Annabeth, how _are_ you going to tell him? Are you going to just come out and tell him? Oh, you could let Percy tell. Eh, that might scare Luke ," Rachel said. I could just imagine her in her office with everyone else gone but her talking to me on her phone. A few years ago, she took most of her trust fund and made a charity for children with ADHD and Dyslexia. Most of the subjects are half-bloods, yes.

"I don't know. Percy and I are going to work that out later, too. I don't know what happens next. Will Percy want to remain separated but help with Luke? Will he want to try dating again? I mean, it's the confusion of dating on top of the confusion of parenthood," I sighed.

"I cant imagine. Now, all of your questions are about Percy. Do _you _still want to be with him?" Rachel asked. Okay, how does she do that? I say one thing, but she knows what I'm feeling? Is this an oracle thing or just a best friend thing?

"Well, he _is_ the father of my child, after all. For crying out loud, you know how he even found out. I think I…" I took a deep breath, "I think that I'm still in love with him."

"Then why worry?" Rachel yelled ending the peaceful moment.

"Because, I don't know if he still loves me. You're forgetting that that was one night. Sure, he admitted he was always thinking about me; but obsession is not love. I don't want to get hurt again, especially with Luke's happiness on the line," I answered.

"Annabeth, let me get this straight. A guy, and remember most guys are scared of parenthood, said that he wanted to raise your child with you. He also said that he thought about you all the time for the last three years. If that isn't love, then I don't know what is. Then again, I don't really know what love is because I never felt it, but that is so not my point here," Rachel told me.

"You're right, I guess. It's getting late. I'll call you tomorrow," I told her.

"Fine. Give Luke a kiss for me," Rachel told me.

"Will do," I hung up the phone and looked around the townhouse. The yellow walls seemed bare without all of the pictures on them. The door to Luke's room was open and showed a barren room with only a crib still in it. We're leaving some of the furniture behind. Sure, I had found a similar townhouse in New York, but that didn't mean anything really. Percy and I had lived here. I brought Luke home here. This is the only home Luke has known [excluding trips to see his grandfather, not that that truly even counts]. I was leaving behind memories here to make new ones. Ones where Luke knows his father. Ones where I wont spend sleepless nights wondering about what if I had told Percy. A fresh start.

Percy:

"Perce?" a voice called from the phone.

"Annabeth?" I unwillingly smiled. Shouldn't I be mad at her for not telling me about Luke? Well, even if I should, I'm not. I don't know why, but I've never been able to stay mad at her. Well, that's a lie. We've had our own share of fights. Some, I admit, were very stupid on my part, but try being in love with a genius. You tend to have stupid arguments. Wait, did I say love? No, I couldn't have said love. Oh, I did. Sorry. I mean, I could love her. I don't know. We broke up two years ago. How do I know that she hasn't changed? What if I changed? I don't know. What if she just wants me to be a father to Luke and that's it? What if- okay, now I'm annoying myself.

"Hey, we just got to New York. Luke's asleep. So, what's the plan?" Annabeth asked. I sighed.

"I don't know," I answered.

"Neither do I. How are we supposed to tell a two year old that you are his father?" Annabeth mumbled a Greek curse word.

"Well, did Luke ever ask about his dad? What story did you tell?" I asked again.

"He asked once. I told him that his dad was given an opportunity to live his dream, and I told him to go. A little while later, I found out that I was having Luke. So, I told him that his dad didn't know about him, yet. So, his dad would come back. It was like a year ago when I said something like that. I can remember the exact details. He hasn't asked since," Annabeth answered.

"Okay, I got nothing," I sighed again.

"And I thought telling you was hard," Annabeth mumbled. I smiled. Yeah, it was a beyond crazy day when I found out, and it was an even crazier night. That's what has me so confused. We went from that to 'you have a son!' in a matter of moments. Now, I don't know what happens next.

"Well, if you are able to tell a guy that he has a son he never knew about, I'm sure we'll be able to tell a two year old about his dad," I smiled. She let out a small laugh.

"Thanks," Annabeth told me.

"So, can we just come right out and say it? That could work, right?" I asked.

"I don't know. Luke is a lot like you and me. So, I don't really know what to do. I mean, if it were me, I would just tell him. If it were you, I would… okay, I don't know," Annabeth sighed. Part of me wanted to scoop her into my arms and tell her it would be okay.

"Annabeth, you need some sleep. When's the last time you got a good night's sleep?" I asked with my arms crossed.

"Uh, I guess that would be Florida. So, about two weeks ago," Annabeth answered.

"Annabeth, don't worry about this. I can assure you, I'm worrying enough for more than two people. Just get some sleep and call me tomorrow," I told her.

"Thanks, Percy. I'll call you then. Night," Annabeth hung up. I groaned as I looked up at the ceiling. I'm a dad. Yeah, I'm never going to get over that. And I didn't even get the nine months to get used to it!

That isn't just it. I never really had a dad. So, was Annabeth making a smart move by not telling me? Sure, Paul was there, and I watched him father my half-sister. That isn't the point though. I didn't have a dad when I was Luke's age. What if I don't know what to do? Worse, what if I scar him for life? Even worse, what if I ruin my son's life ? Even worse than that! What if he hates me?

**Okay, so I found the perfect way to tell Luke at school. Then, my best friend got mad at me and threw sticky tack in my hair. **

**So, yeah. I kinda forgot it. Any suggestions?**

**don't worry. I'll be sure to credit you, of course. I may be mean, but I'm not evil! **

**Or maybe I am?**

**But I will credit your ideas. Pinky swear.**

**And yes, I said 'Pinky Swear'. Don't you judge me! [know my arms are crossed] [oh, and know I'm doing that squintey thing when you narrow your eyes and raise your chin a little. Yeah, that thing] [did I mention that I'm also going on about stupid stuff like what I'm doing. If you seriously care about what I'm doing when I'm writing about nothing because I couldn't upload a chapter until April 12, you need to make an appointment with a physiatrist]**

**AND YEAH I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN!**

**BYE-YA! **


	6. Chapter 6

PERCY:

"Luka, this is mommy's friend. He's going to watch you while Mommy signs your papers at day care," Annabeth kissed her son's cheek. Luke nodded as he looked back up at me. I was looking at my son with amazement. When Annabeth said he looked just like me, I didn't think she was this serious. Luke's sea green eyes were twinkling as they noticed how he looked just like me.

"I know how you both love water. So, you two are going to the zoo," Annabeth told Luke with a smile.

"You like water?" Luke asked in the voice that makes most just want to scream 'AWWW!' when toddlers use it. I nodded with a smile.

"Actually, it's my job to make sure that people don't ruin the water," I told him. Luke looked up with even more amazement. Annabeth mouthed 'Good move.'

"I'll meet you guys at the aquarium. Call me if you need me," Annabeth smiled before walking off deeper into the crowd at the square. I took a deep breath.

"So, what's your favorite thing about the water?" hey, the water thing was working for me. Why stop with it now? Luke smiled as if he had been waiting for that question. Yup, he is defiantly my son.

Annabeth:

"Annie, take a breath," Rachel told me. I looked at her. A calm exterior was painted across her face. I almost wanted to slap her for being so tame, not that I ever would. I looked at her with a look that said, 'Oh you shouldn't of said that.' Rachel sighed, knowing that a speech worthy of Athena was about to escape my lips.

"Rachel, are you forgetting that this is the first time Percy is meeting Luke? Are you forgetting how crucial this is? Are you-" I started. Rachel waved her hand to interrupt me. I rolled my eyes.

"_I'm_ not forgetting. I think _you're_ forgetting that Percy _is_ his father. Besides, Luke is _exactly_ like Percy. Come on. You just said that they were getting along great when you left. What could have changed in an hour?" Rachel asked with a shrug. Yeah, now I _so_ wanted to slap her right then.

"Have you met a two year old recently?" I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Annabeth, stop worrying. Ugh, I thought you _wanted_ them to meet," Rachel took a sip of her coffee. Is she trying to get slapped? I took a breath and decided to just let it all go.

"I do. I just wish…" I tried.

"You wish Percy had been there?" Rachel asked turning back into the sweet friend I really needed right now.

"No. Yes. No. I don't know. I mean, _I_ was the one who didn't tell. I just wish that I didn't have to worry how my son was getting along with his dad," I told her.

"I know, Sweetheart, but speaking of that, don't you need to get there?" Rachel asked. I looked at my watch.

"You're right. Good luck with work," I told her.

"Good luck with Luke," she told me as I got up from my seat at the coffee shop.

**VVVVVVVVVV [What you have a problem with 'V'? Why do I have to limit myself to 'X'? I will not be discriminatory to 'V'. that's just rude. How would you feel if you were 'V'?]**

"Come on, Luka. It's bed time," I told Luke.

"But?" Luke tried.

"Luke, your mom's right," Percy told the boy. I still couldn't believe how well he was getting along with Luke.

"Fine," Luke sighed as he got up from the seat next to Percy. I scooped him up into my arms. I carried him upstairs to put him into bed. Luke was still wearing a pout that scared me with the fact that I wore it not only at his age but I still wore it.

"Do I have to go to bed?" Luke complained.

"Yes, Sweetheart," I kissed his cheek, "Don't worry. You'll be seeing him again. I pinky promise," I smiled.

"Pinky promise?" Luke asked.

"Pinky promise," I shook his chubby little finger.

"I love you, Mommy," Luke told me as he clutched Wabbie closer in his micro fiber, blue blanket. I ran my fingers through his hair.

"I love you, too, Luke. Good night, Sweetie," I smiled.

"Night," Luke started to drift off. I kissed his cheek again. What? It's my job after all. You're seriously telling me that I cant kiss my son? Wow, harsh.

I climbed back down the stairs to the living room. I slid onto the couch with my head on Percy's shoulder. He smiled.

"I cant believe how well I get along with Luke," Percy continued to smile.

"Luke loves you. He made me pinky promise that you two will get together again," I smiled.

"Well, one worry down," Percy wrapped his arms around me. I tried to keep my cheeks from turning an embarrassing crimson. Please, don't let something ruin this. Don't let something ruin this.

"So, where do we go from here?" Percy asked me. I sighed. I didn't know. So far, I was just trying to remember the story I told Luke about his dad so I could just work Percy into being his dad without an explanation. That wasn't going to well considering I told him when he had a nightmare and I was half-asleep when I explained it. So, yeah, not working out for me.

"I don't know," I leaned into him even more. He smiled.

"I cant believe I missed so much," Percy banged his head on the sofa.

"Percy, stop. You didn't know," I tried to reassure him.

"I know. But when you said he was like me, I didn't know you meant this much," Percy told me.

"He _is_ your son," I smiled.

"What?" a shocked voice asked. I looked up to see Luke standing in the archway. Wabbie was being clutched tightly. I felt my brain stop. It wasn't so supposed to go like this. I guess it was mother instincts, but somehow, my legs carried me to where I was squatting to look into Luke's sea green eyes.

"Lucas, Percy is your father," I told him.

**So, I finally did it. I was going to push it off, but I decided against it. Well, here it was. I wanted to have the whole Percy-Annabeth-Talking thing, and hey, why not have him find out just like Artemis found about baby Beck! Well, I just like writing things like that. You like?**


	7. Chapter 7

Annabeth:

"Mommy, we didn't Daddy know about me?" Luke asked me. It was the day after Luka found out about Percy being his dad. At first, Lucas was ecstatic. Then he started thinking about why he had just met his dad. I clutched my son closer to me on the couch.

"Luke, Mommy and Daddy were separated for a stupid reason. So, when I got the great news I was going to have you, I was young and being very, very stupid. So, I didn't tell him about you. I've been regretting that you didn't know your dad for a long time. So, when I saw Daddy when I went to Florida, I decided to tell him, and ever since, we've been trying our hardest to tell you," I answered. Luke looked back down at the book in my hands. You may not believe this, truthfully I didn't when I found out, but Lucas is reading at two. It took me until I was three and a half, and that was early for most kids. But two? You've got to admit that is amazing.

"What's going to happen with you and Daddy?" Luke asked me. I nodded. The same question was swirling around in my mind.

"We'll both be here for you as much as we can," I answered with a motherly smile.

"That's not what I meant," Luke looked up at me with a serious glint in his sea green eyes that held a little bit of dark blue and grey at the rims. I felt a shiver run down my spine. He was really growing up. Way too fast if you ask me. Then again, at first you want them to grow up so you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to see that all they needed was a bottle. Then, you want them to shrink back down to that age. You know, mothering can be the most hypercritical job in the world, besides politics. Kidding. Sort of.

"I don't know, Luke. Come on, Sweetie. Aunt Rachel is will be here anytime soon," I told him as I released him. He sat back on the couch with Wabbie now being clutched tighter to him.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked.

_Uh-oh, I thought, Think, Annie, think. Okay, take a breath. Uh, well. Now Luke's getting suspicious. You wouldn't dare tell about how this is a date with Percy. He might get his hopes up too much. Nope, gotta think of something else._

A knock came from the front door. I silently thanked as many gods as I could think of in the short time I ran to the door. A short redhead with St. Patrick Day green eyes stood at the door. Her drawn-on red converse squeaked as they walked in. I started to wonder if by Luke seeing how Rachel draws on _all_ of her clothes if he would draw on his clothes too. Oh, please, no. Please, no.

"Aunt Wachel!" Luke seemed to forget our little conversation earlier by running up to her. It's amazing. He can read, but he cant say 'R' right. Yeah, so I don't really like him to say, 'I can wead!' to some people. Eh, some people think he means the 'wead' as in 'weed' drugs. That was a fun daycare meeting.

"Lucas, stop growing. Soon enough, you'll be taller than me," Rachel smiled as she swung Luke around in her arms. I tried so very hard not to smirk. _That wouldn't be hard,_ I thought. Wait, did I say that out loud? Why is she looking at me? Oh darn it, I must of said it.

"Annabeth, are you ready to go?" Rachel asked me. Oh. Thank Athena, I didn't say it out loud. I shook off the thought to make sure I didn't zone out. I looked at myself in the mirror. Not too bad. Not to great, but not too bad. I tugged on the long grey shirt that reached my upper thighs. I wont bore you with the details of my outfit. I mean, who really cares about a twenty-nine year olds outfit?

No, I _actually _am twenty-nine, not one of those creepy people who lie and say they're twenty nine. Personally, if I'm going to lie about my age, why twenty nine? That's basically thirty. I mean, say you tell someone you're twenty nine, and you see them a year later? Then in their mind, you'll be thirty. Unless you're like _way_ over that, that doesn't help at all. Besides, what's the big deal about being young? Older people are wiser. So what if your body is getting weaker and all that? Come on, you want to be young so you can pick up stuff and take care of the older? I didn't think so.

Wait, where was I? I think I was saying I wasn't going to bore you with what I was wearing. Well, I'll just pick up there.

"Yeah," I nodded.

Percy:

"I had fun," Annabeth kissed my cheek. I watched her go. She was _really_ pretty. Don't you dare tell her I said this, but she looks even better than when we were younger. No, I'm not talking back when we both were so stressed, we had acne and she was the lanky girl in the corner. Wait, don't tell her I said that either. Okay, let me try this again. I guess either growing up from just growing up or raising Luke, she stopped being so proud and uptight. Yeah, still stubborn and a little uptight. Then again, that's why I loved her.

Okay, gotta stop using that love word. I mean, I do. I _really_ do.

But the million dollar question.

Does she?

Compile the evidence.

1.I stuck her with a son and I wasn't even there

didn't even tell Luke about this

3.I left her _for a job_

4._A JOB!_ yeah, I just cant get over that one.

Knowing how stupid I am, there are probably a million more. She does call me 'Seaweed Brain' for a reason you know.

Anyway, I started my way home. Why did she make me feel like this? I thought the whole 'Heart beating erratically when she walks in' thing was one of those things you do when you're twenty like getting drunk and partying all the time. Yeah, I have some experience with that. Anyway, I continued on the sidewalk. I didn't live to far, thank God.

"_Perce?" Annabeth called. _

"_What?" I walked over to the kitchen where Annabeth sat at the table. _

"_You got it," Annabeth held up a open envelope. Her eyes were wide as if she couldn't believe it. Neither could I. I sat beside her at the round table. Maybe she misread it. I mean, we do have dyslexia. I took the letter. Sure, it took forever, but I finally read it_

_Dear Perseus Jackson, _

_We are pleased to say that you have been chosen for…_

_I didn't need to read the rest. Annabeth looked like a knife had just been plunged through her heart._

"_I don't have to go," I told her taking her hand. She was still looking straight forward with that look. It hurt more than I thought possible. _

"_No. No, Percy, you do. You have to. You've wanted that job since we were in college," Annabeth's eyes were watering, "I want you to," the words looked like they hurt to say. They kind of hurt to hear. _

"_Annabeth," I tried. _

"_No, Percy, don't you dare make me the reason you didn't do this," Annabeth's startling grey eyes looked into mine telling me that she wasn't backing down. I was going. We were over. Annabeth basically just dumped me. _

**Okay, so I just wanted to show you this thing I saw on some you tube thing. [I accidentally left the page. So, I had to try to remember it]**

'**Grenade…Til The End Of The World…Blow…Bomb…I think they're planning something.'**

**The original was funnier. Oh, and you **_**have**_** to listen to Peacock by Katy Perry. I died laughing. I was laughing so hard, I almost missed the entire song. **

**Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to Parmore! **

**Sadly, I didn't hear about them until, like, a month before they broke up. So, I'm trying to make it up. Anyway, I know this stinks! Total writers block. My best friend[/ex-crush. Used to like him. Got to know him too well. Now, don't] dumped his evil girlfriend! No, I don't like him anymore. I just **_**REALLY **_**hated her. So, I've been a little off topic recently. Also, I have Fine Arts coming up. So, I'm busy with that. Wish me luck! **


	8. The Stupid Book Shelf!

Annabeth:

"Lucas, start your bath," I kissed the side off his head before pushing off in the direction of the bathroom. I smiled as I watched him in all his cuteness walk away. Now, time for the not-so-cute moment. I looked at myself in the mirror in the hall. What took the main stage would be the blue paint streaked across my face. The second would be the blue in my hair. Of course, the third would be the fact how I looked so happy even though I was covered in paint from converting the dull white room that had been dubbed his. Instead of the room that not even the most boring person could enjoy, a blue room with his name painted out in bubble letters above the toddler bed that he had already covered with his stuffed sea animals and books was awaiting Luke to claim it as his own. We had finished the walls a few days ago. So, today, I was stuck painting 'Luke', making sure it met his specifications exactly. Otherwise, he would recall on the joint stubbornness from both Percy and I. Then, we would begin brilliant bantering only a descent of Athena could pull off. Even though he _was_ only two, I still got creeped out with the fact that he was just like me when I was his age and hated seeing him so upset. So, I would end up redoing it.

"Mommy, the bath's weady!" Luke called. I nodded with a sigh and followed the voice.

**X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X. **

"Someone's at the dwoor!" Luke yelled. I slipped my wet hair into a ponytail. I had just taken a shower after Luke's bath. Trusting 'Bubble Guppies' would keep Luke busy for the few minutes required for a shower, I prayed to Hermes not to break the shower or TV, to Zeus to not sent a storm with a lightening rod straight for me, and to Neptune for not hurting me while in the water. All that jazz.

I ran down the stairs to see Luke standing at the door waiting for me to open it. Though I've been raising Luke all this time, I cant build anything. I can build you a skyscraper, but I cant make a bookshelf. Yeah, I am very pathetic. My godly-half-brother, Malcolm, is the Vice President of Apple. Bobby, my humanly-half-brother, is a critically acclaimed author. Matthew, also humanly-half-brother, followed in our father's footsteps and became a professor of History at Harvard. But we cant build a thing. Nope, not one thing. We can make plans. But actually hand us a hammer and some nails, and we're screwed. No doubt.

So, what should I do? Well, in what I did I killed two birds with one stone, as most Athena children do. The first bird, you may ask. Well, to build that bloody bookshelf. That one was simple enough. The second is the one that truly does something. When Percy started his new job, his time with Luke became limited. When Luke started school, even more time was drawn away. So, in what way should my son see the father he has barely known throughout the short life he has endured so far?

"Dwaddy!" Lucas yelled as soon as I opened the door. Well, so much for saying hello. Percy scooped his son up into his arms. Luke smiled. I have got to work on those 'W's. I mean, the kid can read, add, subtract, and understand anything to do with water but says 'W' in almost all that he says. I felt myself smile as I saw the sight in front of me. Percy gripped his son in a fatherly embrace as Luke told him all about his room. Part of me wished that this wasn't one of first times I've seen this. The same part wished I had called Percy up to tell him. A different part of me was still worried that if I had and Percy had come back that we'd still be separated, only this time messily. Then again, that was only a thirty seven percent chance, but it was _a_ chance. I was not putting Luke through what could be even_ a_ chance. I was not putting myself through _a_ chance either. I have been known to have grudges. And I'm an Athena girl. We don't forget, no matter how much our boyfriends or husbands want us to. We just don't. As a rule.

"Go ahead to your room. I'll be there in a minute," Percy told Luke. Luke nodded and ran back up the stairs.

"How do you do that?" I complained as I looked from the stairs to him.

"What?" Percy asked with a smile.

"He listens to you more than anyone. I tell him to go to his room. He huffs and puffs before finally going. You tell him, and he's right up those stairs in a blink of an eye," I crossed my arms across my grey tank top. Percy's eyes tried not to light up with the fact his son loves him so much. I tried for mine not to light up as well. I have no actual idea if it truly worked, though. So, while Percy was very well successfully doing it, I could have been lit up like the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. I tried not to look into his green eyes because I knew eventually I would end up staring deep into them for what would seem like forever until, finally, I would not be able to withstand myself from kissing him. And Luke was waiting. And Luke couldn't handle another separation from Percy and I. I couldn't do this to my son, but what if not doing it is hurting my son as well?

"I think he is still impressed with my job," Percy smiled. I nodded. Before my mind went reeling, we were talking about that, right? Yeah, we were. Otherwise, that would just be weird for him to say. Then again, I didn't call him Seaweed Brain for no reason.

"Now, you are being given a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to actually tell you that you can do something that I can not do. So, go help Luke with that bloody bookshelf because I am bad luck around such things," I smiled and nudged him in the direction of the stairs.

"Got it. So, the instructions are up there, right?" Percy asked. I nodded yes, and he fearfully looked up at the staircase.

"Perseus Jackson, you can do it. Go ahead," I smiled, "Or you can accept that neither of us cant do it, and I wont tell you that you can do something I can do."

"I'm going," Percy complained before bounding up the stairs. I smiled.

**So, something big is about to happen. Tweetle dum. Tweetle do. Hmm, cant breath a word about it. **

**Ahola, ahola! **

**All right, my Fine Arts deadline was pushed up and I'm going to kill Mrs. Evans! I'm a do it on the last day kinda girl. I work well under pressure. Okay, not true. I do my best work under pressure, but the pressure on me that my school inflicts to keep my SAT scores still in third year collge still causes me to have the monthly break downs. On really bad times, it's every two weeks.**

**Ah-nay-wah-ay! **

**Bad news! **

**I have a research paper due very, very soon. At first, I was doing Napoleon. Everyone else was doing their book a week before me because they went to the library. My mom hates the local library for some very stupid reason. So, I had to wait until the weekend to drive the hour to books-a-million [live in a very small town, btw]. Then I couldn't find a book. So, I had to switch to Jackie O'. Of course, then there was another problem. I bought three books. One a life in picture, two regular. I tried the two. They were too confusing, long, not age-appropriate, and complex. So, my mom has to write a email to my teacher to see if I can read the life in pictures. Oh, did I mention it's due Monday? **

**So, wish me luck. My mom is so d*** picky that I am going to fail English. Great. So, my mom is hounding me to finish the life in pictures, but I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to read it. **

**I just want to scream, "Leave me the h*** alone! My best friend and I barely talk because now we sit on opposite sides of the class and we're so busy that's about all we see of each other! My mom is driving me mental! My book is going along great, but my mom wont let me write in it or anything else until my book is done after this little thing! My bloody stomach is killing me! Oh and Mother Nature dropped off an early Easter gift! **_**So. Leave. Me. Alone**_**." **

**But I don't think I can scream that at my Christian school or at home. So, I guess this computer will have to take one for the team. **


	9. Is The Book Shelf Wonderful Or Evil?

Annabeth:

"How?" I asked with my arms crossed. Percy looked at me with a smile. Luke was fast asleep as he had been since Percy had finished that stupid bookshelf. Now, I had turned off those terrible kids showsas soon as the slight snoring of Luke had hit my hears. Percy and I were now just standing in the kitchen as it was midnight by now. It took longer than we expected because of the fact that it took twenty minutes to find a few of the tools. Then we had the problem of missing a few of the pieces to find them in the hall closet. How they got there, I don't know, but I think that Luke his it so Percy would stay longer.

"I just followed the directions," Percy shrugged. I wanted to scream how he even knew what those weird 'handy people' words meant, but I had had enough of him knowing more than me for one day. It wasn't the pleasantest of feelings. Instead, I came up with the next thing to ay that didn't make me feel inferior to Percy.

"One day, I'm going to murder those creators of 'Bubble Guppies'," I told him with a smile. Percy could no longer hold in a laugh. I shook my head. I always thought I would kill the Dora people first, and I probably will kill them. But Luke hates Dora. So, I'm not stuck watching that. But not Bubble Guppies. Who came up with mertoddlers going on adventures? They just have to be either mentally insane or had to be really high. It's as simple as that.

"It's not that bad," Percy told me. I arched an eyebrow, letting him know I know I was trying not to mumble two of my favorite words, Seaweed Brain.

"You watch a show about toddlers who live under the sea 24/7. Then we'll talk," I told him. Percy nodded. When did it become so easy to talk to him? When Percy first found out about our son, it seemed hard to talk. But now that he's met and become a father to Luke, it became the easiest thing in the world to me. I don't get it. I left Percy in the dark as to him not even knowing about our son. Shouldn't it be awkward? Shouldn't he hate me? And finally, why do I always have to question everything? I mean, sheesh, I am blessed by being able to talk to him. Can't I just leave it at that? Oh Zeus, I'm doing it again!

"Nice point," Percy answered.

"How do we do this?" I asked finally. Well, I couldn't stop pestering myself about it. Why not pester someone else about it? It's not like I was going to get it out of my mind any time soon anyway. So, why not ask him? Percy can surprise me with a brilliance I truly wished occurred more often, not that it does as often as I would prefer.

"What?" Percy smiled.

"This. Talk so easily. I mean, shouldn't we be awkward around each other and all? I did keep a son from you. Not only that, but most exes don't get along. So, why do we get along?" I asked with a shrug. Percy seemed to ponder it as he stepped closer. I had to admit, he is pretty cute. Shaggy black hair offset his green eyes. He was also insanely tall. Like, maybe, 6'1 or 6'2. I was 5'10 or so. He was a good three inches taller than me. So, he had to be in the 6's. He still seemed like he kept up with his demigod training. Now, don't you dare even breath a word to anyone of the bland and superficial word I am about to use, but it is basically the perfect way to describe what I'm thinking.

Percy is hot.

"Well, it could be the whole being best friends for around sixteen years. Or it could be Luke. Or it could be the fact that we just do. Or it could be-" Percy told me I. Show-off.

"I know. I know. It was a stupid question," I cut him off.

"-that I still love you," Percy finished. Everything stopped around me. Did he just say-? No, he couldn't have. Uh-uh, I'm just imagining it. He said something else. I'm sure of it. I looked into his sea green eyes. Nope, he said it. No doubt about that. So, what do I say? I mean, of course, I still love him.

Uh, duh!

_Annie, think of Luke. Luke. Luke's happiness. The well being of Luke. Do not focus on the hot guy who just told you that he loves you. Or that you love him. Or how happy he makes you feel. Or how your heart stops when he looks at you, _I tried to convince myself. As you an very well tell, it wasn't working very well.

"Perce, what about Luke?" I tried.

"What about Luke? That his parents could try to get back together. Wow, that's really bad for him," Percy pointed out. Did he have to put it like that? Did I mention he can really be a nuisance sometimes?

"Annabeth, if you are truly worried about Luke, then I'll step away. If it is in the best interest of our son, I will be the dad he needs and nothing else. But if you're just scared," Percy looked down. This was what I needed. I could say it was best for our son. It would all be done. We would go back to Percy taking care of Luke on Sunday and watch him on Tuesdays. Then we would spend Saturday together as a family. A very deformed family, but a family. Saturday quickly became Luke's favorite day.

But I couldn't.

I tried to force the words off my tongue, but nothing happened. I couldn't do it. Saturday was my son's favorite day for a reason. We're all together. Right now, I could give him that. Above that, I could be with the guy I had been in love with for years.

But I was scared.

That's it. I can handle raising a two year old. I can handle handing my best friend the knife that killed him. I can handle fighting a war at fifteen. I truly can. But I cant handle telling Percy I love him. For crying out loud, it took four years the first time!

I took a deep breath. The decision was made. No turning back.

**Thank God, I'm a fast reader! No, I haven't finished. I am three quarter's done. And my mom is asleep in the hotel we're staying at. My dad's uncle just died. I know. Really sad. :*[. We had to drive five hours to get here. Tomorrow's the service. :[.**

**I know, I have a **_**really **_**dramatic life recently. Sadly, when I said I wanted more drama, I didn't mean school and death drama. No, I meant that I wanted like two hot guys crushing on me or like how my friend, Seth, just dumped his girlfriend and has a crush on her best friend but wont admit it. Well, not to me. But it would be helpful if we still talked because then I could make him admit that he liked her and we could all get over the fact that his ex thinks he still likes her. **

**Ex sits with best friend all the time. He flirts with friend. Ex thinks he's flirting with her. **

**Typical. So, anyway, I better go. My dad might spill if I'm on too long. **

**Wait, why am I telling you all this? You read for the story not me. Sorry, I don't get to vent too much. So, sorry. I'll try to stop. It may not work, but I can try! :]**


	10. She Loves Him, She Loves Him Not

**Annabeth:**

I clutched the mug of coffee as if my life depended on it. At the very moment, it seemed it did. I once again checked the clock. 6:15. Early by my standards, but not too early. Luke wouldn't be up for about another hour. It would have been a typical Friday, had last night never happened. Taking a breath, I recalled what happened.

I thought about how I had been soaking wet when I opened the door for Percy. About how I had been so mad when I couldn't do it and he could. How he put together the blue bookshelf. How he was so good with Luke. About how we talked so very peaceably without tension or worry as most separated couples do. It was great. Then he said it.

It sent me spinning. I don't know what happened to me when he said it. I guess it brought everything back. It brought back how so very happy we were. Everything we had inflated my heart. It reminded me that I didn't hide Luke because I needed to hide him. I hid him because I loved Percy. It also brought back all the pain I had hidden.

Him saying that reminded me of the sleepless nights were I cried myself to sleep. It made me remember how my heart hurt from the time the acceptance letter came in the mail. How I had problems with my pregnancy because of how sad I was.

"Morning," two arms wrapped around my waist, and two lips kissed the side of my head.

"Morning, Percy," I smiled.

So, yeah, I chose Percy. I know, I know. Didn't I drag my feet the entire time? True, I did. Did I not say I would put Luke first and not be with Percy? Didn't I just pile up reasons on why I shouldn't have? Wasn't I scared about how he could easily hurt me? Or how it would hurt Luke if we separated again?

Truly, I did and am. I am scared to death. Luke's well being is my first priority. I would give up anything for him, and I think Percy would, too. I can list thousands of reasons why I should stay away from him. I can also list millions of reasons why I should be with him.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked noticing how firmly I held the mug. Gently, I lessened the grip and set it down on the kitchen countertop. I turned around to look at Percy. I had to look up to see his sea green eyes.

"Nothing," I pulled off a successful smile. Then again, I really wouldn't know if it was successful. When Percy's around, sometimes I just don't know anymore, "Anything wrong with you?"

"No," he smiled. Before I knew it, his lips were pressed against mine. After the kiss, our foreheads were pressed up against each other to look into each others eyes.

"Luke will be up any minute," I warned in a whisper. He sighed.

"I get going, Annabeth," Percy told me. I groaned.

"Shut up," I pushed my lips onto his. After reluctantly pulling away, Percy looked at me. I wasn't nearly as hot as he is. I mean, yeah, I'm pretty, but not as cute as him. I have wavy hair that never complies to my wishes, especially in the morning. My startling grey eyes took center stage and were 'Able-To-Scare-You-To-Death' and 'Very-Critical', in some people's opinion. I was almost 6'0. So, I was tall. In other words, I can blame not being super-skinny on that. On different days, I look completely different. On a work day, I'm sophisticated in a prim and proper way. On a day where I'm with Luke, you'll find me in jeans and my grey converse.

"I love you," Percy whispered. The three words warmed my once frozen heart. I couldn't hold back a smile much longer.

"I love you, too, Seaweed Brain."

**The Night Before:**

No turning back now.

I crashed my lips onto his. He smiled before kissing back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he around my waist. My heart was pounding harder than thought possible. Everything slipped away from me. The scares slipped out of mind. The only thing left for me to think about was Percy, the hot guy who just said he loved me.

Taking a breath, we separated to look at each other. We were both smiling as I took his hand and led him up the stairs.

**So, raise of hands. Who thought this short chapter totally sucked?**


	11. Why Cant My Life Just Stay Perfect!

_**Percy:**_

"_Wup," Luke tried to recite after Annabeth. _

"_Uh. Uh-p," Annabeth tried again. I had to admit this was pretty funny, though I knew it wasn't supposed to be. After a little incident with Rachel, Annabeth had gone into over-drive trying to get Luke to say things right. It's not that he couldn't do it. He just didn't seem to want to. Not only is he as stubborn as Annabeth, but he's also got my stubbornness. The stubbornness that made Annabeth and I finally getting together take four years, and she had to kiss me_. So, I cant wait to see how this kid turns out. I feel for the girl who falls in love with him.

"Wuh-p," Luke tried yet again.

"Luke, did you know that fish are scared of people who cant speak, right?" I asked. Okay, so, it was a lie, but if I didn't say it, Annabeth was going to loose her mind over there. And I just got her to finally admit that we still had feelings for each other. I was not letting her go mad on me. She's not getting off this easily.

"What?" Luke gasped. I nodded yes. My dad's going to kill me. Okay, let me add that to my to do list.

1. Stay out of water for the next few days

2. Add Mozart to my iphone because apparently that is the only thing that can make Lucas go to sleep

3. Convince Annabeth to take a deep breath and try not to freak out with the fact that Luke did something for me he wouldn't do for her.

"Shut up!" Luke's eyes were wide. Annabeth turned to look at Luke then mouthed a thank you to me. I smiled.

"Lucas, you better get ready for your swimming lessons," I told him. He was top of the class, including the teenagers, but we cant let a two year old loose in the water like we wanted. We technically had to send him to class. He's always said that he wanted to win the swimming Olympic courses. Don't even get me started on that topic, but it's his dream. As his parents, we have to get him ready for dream. Hopefully, he'll give up by the time his classes get more serious. So far, he's been bumped up above his age group and is working extremely hard, but he hasn't given up yet. I'm actually pretty proud of him.

"Fine," Luke got up to stumble up the stairs.

"How?" Annabeth looked baffled as she got up from sitting on the floor to sit beside me on the couch.

"It wasn't that hard. My mom pulled the same one when she wanted me to make-up my bed when I was five," I shrugged. Annabeth's cute laughter sent a smile forming.

"You're crazy, Perce," Annabeth crashed her lips onto mine. I'm starting to get used to this.

"Mom, where's bag?" Luke screeched from the top of the stairs. Did I do this to my mom? I'm sure I did. Yup, I'm clearly remembering it now. Somehow, I guess it's just kid's intuition, but I always knew when my mom was about to kiss Paul and managed to scream at the top of my lungs to make them separate.

"Look in your closet!" Annabeth yelled back.

"It's not there!" Lucas yelled back.

"Well, he definitely inherited his father since of timing," Annabeth muttered.

"Hey, that since saved your life a few times," I defended. Think about me holding up the sky when she was about to collapse. There was the time we healed her broken ribs with the fleece. How could you forget the spider incident with Hephaestus TV? Or how we searched for her for what, weeks, when we found Nico? Who knows how many times I saved her?

"Percy, Darling, you were the reason my life was in danger," Annabeth smiled. She couldn't be right. Wait, I was the reason we were even in the Bermuda Triangle. I was also the reason why we were about to have brodcasted on Hephaestus TV. If I hadn't gone off, we probably wouldn't have had to hold up the weight of the world for that idiot Atlas.

I have got to stop trying to make a point.

**Annabeth:**

"I'll go get Luke," Percy told me. I smiled and nodded. It was Tuesday. Every Tuesday, after Luke's swim classes, Percy picks him up and takes care of him until I finish my later work days at six. I knew Luke would take awhile because when he gets back from swim class he's tired and when he's tired he's even more stubborn. Another reason Percy get's him this day. I looked around Percy's blue apartment. Yeah, Luke loves the color scheme. My eyes caught sight of a white envelope sitting on the black coffee table, open. Carefully, I made my way over to look at it.

No, I am not spying. Don't be ridiculous. I'm just… just… uh, well, I'm just… give me a minute.

Okay, anyway, I stepped closer, making sure I made no noise. The letter sat upside down. I picked it up hopeful that it wasn't what it had been the last time I opened Percy's mail. It reminded me way too much of when he moved to Hawaii.

"One second. I forgot my bag," Luke's voice said from down the hall to his room. I flipped the letter down to put it where I found it, only able to read three fragments.

You're invited to join… Bermuda…. To help us with our studies

"Mom, do I have to go?" Luke pouted as he walked along with Percy carrying the bag. I tried to roll my eyes as if everything were normal, but as usual, it wasn't. Why is that whenever anything is going even slightly perfect in the life everything goes wrong?

"Sweetie, we have to go," I told him. He nodded.

"Bye, Dad," Luke told him.

"Bye, Lucas," Percy kissed the top of his head before Luke walked over to me. Ya know, I'm starting to think this kid has too many names. His entire name is Lucas Daedalus Aristotle Chase, and I wanted to add a Persues in there as well but I couldn't. His nicknames are Luke, Luka, Dave [my half-brother, Mathhew], Arry, and I think that's about it.

"Come on, Luka," I told him. As we left, my mind went back to the letter. _Bermuda?_ Percy got a job in _Bermuda_? It's Hawaii all over again. I don't want to let him go, but what if I have to? What if he really wants this job? This cant be happening again. Not again. Not with Luke here.

What do I do? Should I talk to him about it or should I just let it be? Maybe Percy should bring it up? Maybe Percy doesn't even want it?

_Annabeth, just take a breath. You can handle this. If anyone can handle this, it's you Annie. He loves you. He said he loves you. He wouldn't take it back for a job, but he did the first time, sort of. He wouldn't do it again. He wouldn't._

_**So, it's totally short, lame, oh, and did I mention short? Well, I just fell and cut my leg. So, I'm a little distracted. don't you just hate When you fall on exercise equipment when you're trying to get to the bookcase in the garage to look up a name? Yeah, me too. Anyway, tell me what you think or else. And in case you care, last year an entire grade hated me. A grade. So, as you can tell my 'Or Else's mean something. Just saying. **_


	12. When We Get Answers, More Questions Come

**Percy:**

"What's up?" Grover asked me as I slumped into the couch as the basketball game switched back on from the commercials. I handed Grover the beer, hoping he would then forget what he had said and focus on the game at hand.

"You're not getting out of this," Grover warned me before taking a sip of the liquid in question. Juniper isn't a drinker. Apparently, when she drinks, it hurts the roots of her tree. So, in turn, Grover 'doesn't drink'. More like comes here to drink. Days like this used to happen a whole lot more before Juniper became pregnant with their daughter, Daphne. Grover wasn't too happy about naming his daughter after a nymph who was pursued so much that she had to be turned into a tree. Personally, I see where he's going at. Anyway, after we found about my son, these little evenings in which Domino's Deep Dish Pepperoni and Beef pizza is ordered and we have so much fun we actually forget to watch the game haven't been happening very much anymore.

"Annabeth's been avoiding me ever since she came over here Tuesday," I answered trying to look interested in the game even though until now I didn't know who was even playing. I've spent most of this time ordering pizza and being duped the 'mule' of the evening.

"What'd you do this time?" Grover asked not giving up until he got everything he wanted. Almost like Apollo. Part of me wanted to say that out loud, but with his daughter, I don't think he'd take it all too well. Instead, I just placed my bottle on the coffee table.

"I have absolutely no idea. One minute she's smiling and picking up Luke. The next she's nervous and jittery. I cant think of anything that could have done it," I put my head in my hands. Grover took a sip of his drink before pulling himself into the 'Good-Friend-Who-Helps-You-When-You-Have-Problems' characters.

"Perce, think. Did you say anything or do anything? Was anything different when you got back with Luke?" Grover asked. I thought about it.

"We didn't talk much. She kissed me before I went to get Luke. When I got back, she was different," I answered. A migraine was starting to form from thinking as hard as I could. It's not like it helped much as I wished.

"Fine, anything different?" Grover asked. Anything different? Like what. Did she paint while I was gone or something? Well, there was something. But it was nothing really. Just a little piece of paper. Wait, wasn't there something on there. Instead of answering Grover, I got up to check the kitchen. There it sat. After Annabeth and Luke left, I decided to try and read it again. I hadn't been given much time with the fact that it took forever for me to read it with dyslexia and all and I had to pick up Luke.

"And it makes complete sense," I thought aloud.

"What makes complete sense?" Grover asked. I ignored him. He wasn't my top priority at the moment. Annabeth thinks I'll still leave her again. She's trying to not get even more attached to me. I wanted to grab a vase and slam it against something in the room, but Grover get's scared easily. It wouldn't be a good idea to make a sudden crash considering what happened last time I did that. Ugh, never doing that again.

"I need to talk to Annabeth," I looked for my cell phone.

"Percy, what makes sense?" Grover asked again. Once again, I ignored him. After finally finding my phone, I pressed the speed dial for Annabeth. What? She _is _Luke's mom after all. I might need to call her for something with Luke, not that I really have. But I _might_.

"This is Annabeth. As you can tell, Lucas and I are busy, but leave a message," Annabeth's prerecorded voicemail message told me. I groaned. Still avoiding me. So, what now? Do I have to wait until tomorrow when it's a joint day? Ugh, I'm really starting to hate this.

"Percy!" Grover seemed to conquer his desire to stay and watch the game by getting up to ask me yet again, only this time in the kitchen. I handed him the piece of paper. His eyes flew over the words. Oh right, he doesn't have dyslexia. Lucky.

"PERCY, YOU'RE TAKING A JOB IN _BERMUDA_!" Grover screamed. Maybe I should have just left and headed over to Annabeth's to talk instead of showing him this. Yeah, that would have been a better move.

"No, I'm not that stupid. I just got her back. I just-" I tried to find the perfect word here, not that there was one. I didn't want to go. I wasn't going to go. Of course, I wouldn't. Why would I? Do I look that stupid? Don't answer that one.

"You just what?" Grover crossed his arms. My throat ran dry. I just what? I don't even know. I love New York. I love my son, and I love Annabeth. I never want to leave them especially. Luke just got a dad. I'm not taking it away again.

"I don't know. I cant believe she thinks I would leave her so easily," I finally answered. Hello, I kinda loved the girl. I tends to hurt when the one you love thinks you don't love her enough to give up a job. Maybe it's just me. Anyway, she _made_ me go the first time. For crying outloud, I was about to propose! Wait, did I just admit that? I've got to stop with this whole 'Getting Mad and Telling Everything' thing with me. Okay, so yeah, I was going to propose. I actually had the ring and everything. I was going to ask her that night. Then she told me to go. One month later, I was gone and she found out that she was pregnant and decided not to tell me. I have no idea what would have happened if I had just stuck around.

"Percy, you _did_ leave the first time. She's just scared. You know how Annabeth gets," Grover tried to tell me, but I was still deep in thought. Why did she make me go? Or did she? Did I just say she did because I didn't want to feel guilty? Was Annabeth right to think I might leave her alone with a son again? She couldn't be. But then again, she was always right.

**Annabeth:**

I looked down at my phone. One new voicemail. It was almost midnight and Luke had fallen asleep in my bed when I was reading a bedtime story to him. I should have just waited until morning to hear it, but it was Percy. So, I took my phone and slipped out of the bed to stand in the hallway. I typed in my password and waited impatiently as it searched for the message. What did he say? Ugh, hurry up you stupid phone.

"Annabeth, hey, it's Percy. I really need to talk to you. Just call me when you can," the Percy's recording told me. I hung up after seeing it was the only one. He needed to talk to me? Is he moving? He has to be moving. What else could it be? Even though I knew it was late, I called Rachel. I needed to talk to her. Besides, she's been working late for the last two weeks. She's probably still up trying to finish a painting of the future. It picked up on the first ring.

"Annabeth, does Grover have green or brown eyes again?" Rachel asked me as if she were about to call me with that question. Defiantly painting.

"Brown. Rachel, have you perhaps happened to have had a dream about a certain Seaweed Brain moving?" I asked.

"HE'S MOVING!" Rachel screeched.

"I don't know. I saw a letter with a job offer. Then he called me saying he needed to talk to me. What else could it be?" my voice sounded broken as I told her.

"That idiot! That b-!" Rachel started.

"Rachel!" I yelled before thinking about it. I closed the door to my room incase I needed to do some more screeching. I also walked down the stairs to sit at the kitchen table. Just in case.

"Sorry, what the Hades is that idiot thinking?" Rachel continued to rant.

"I don't know. Rachel, what do I do? I love him," I tried to hold back the tears, but one managed to fall across my cheek. What was I doing? I'm a daughter of Athena. Facts over emotions. He is stupid enough to leave me. Why do I cry for his stupidity? Why does my heart feel like it's been broken? Why cant I stop thinking about him? Why do I want him to be beside me and hold me as I cry?

Why do I love him?

"Honey, I don't know. I've never been in love, remember? You could try talking to him," Rachel suggested as if she wasn't sure of herself. Well, she's being helpful today.

"I know. I'll talk to him tomorrow," I told her.

"Good night, Annabeth. Call me with what he says tomorrow, okay?" Rachel asked. I didn't see what was too great about it, but I went along with it.

"Okay, Rachel. Night," I hung up the phone.

**Will he move? Will Annabeth cry again? Will he stay? Does Grover have brown eyes?**

**No, seriously, does he have brown eyes? I don't really know. Anyway, hope you totally love it, though you probably didn't. **

**RUH-VIEW PUH-LEASE!**

**:] :] :] :] :] :] :] :] ;] :] :]**

**Which one was different? :]**

**And this chapter is dedicated to Sam. He was my best friend until he met the meanest boy alive, Jacob. He broke my heart by becoming mean to me. He taught me that forever is guaranteed. From what I hear, I moved a while ago, he and Jacob stopped being friends and he's trying to be the guy who was my best friend. I'm proud of him. Good luck, Sammy. **

**Oh,and I almost forgot. FINE ARTS! I got first place in Craft, second place in Photography, and a 93 on a writing test. in the writing, i was only given an hour to write it, and i had to have a rough and final draft. So, i only had fifteen minutes to copy down a five page story. I had to leave A LOT out. Anyway, it's finally done!**


	13. Chapter 13

Annabeth:

"_Percy just called. Luke's flight was cancelled. He and Alyssa aren't sure if he'll make it home by the end of break," a tall brunette told me. He was really cute. His brown hair was slipping into his deep blue eyes. He had to be around thirty-seven, though he looked a whole lot younger. He set his cell phone down on the kitchen table I was sitting at. _

"_Great. I let Luke spend spring break with Percy in Bermuda, and he might not get back in time for school. Perfect," I sighed. The man sat down beside him. _

"_Anna, it'll be okay. I'm sure Percy and Alyssa will have it al worked out so he'll be back. It's not like when Alyssa fought for she and Percy to have more custody. She's not trying to steal our son," he told me. I nodded. Wait, _our son_? Luke's father is Percy, not this guy, whoever he is. _

"_You're right, Connor. You're right. I'm just nervous about Luke being so far away," I sighed. Alyssa? Who was Alyssa? And why did she want my son? WHAT THE HADES IS GOING ON HERE?_

"_I know. Come on, you need some sleep. Let's get to bed," Connor told me. 'Lets'? As in 'Let Us'? As in us going to bed together? Why would we do that? I love Percy. And why was he in Bermuda? He moved? What was going on here._

"_What would I do without you?" I smiled as I took his hand. Then I saw it. _

A wedding ring. I was wearing a wedding ring.

Then it set in. I was married to Connor. Percy lived in Bermuda with a woman named Alyssa. And Luke was with him at the time. We were separated and moved on from each other.

"Mommy!" Luke started to shake me awake. He was still two. That meant it was all a dream, nothing else. I pulled Luke into a hug and kissed his head repeatedly.

"Mommy!" Luke yelled.

"Sorry, Sweetheart. I just love you so so much," I clutched him tighter.

"I wuv you to, Mommy," Luke told me as if he was just trying to get out of my hug. I didn't blame him. If my dad had ever done this, not that I ever remember him doing it, I probably would have done the same. I even ignored the 'wuh' in his 'love'.

"Daddy just called. He said he's on his way," Luke warned me. Daddy. Percy. I wanted to sigh and lay back down to think. It didn't matter that that had been a dream. He was still leaving me and his son for Bermuda. Who's to say he wont meet and end up with someone named Alyssa? And I might meet and marry a guy named Connor. Luke might even go and spend Spring Break with him. Just because it didn't happen now, that doesn't mean it'll never happen.

I released Luke, and he waddled out of the room. I pulled back the tears. Crying doesn't help anything. It just makes you lose hydration you could need and make your face red. I don't need any of those things. I always knew I'd have to talk to Percy about this, but I wasn't ready to hear that one word that broke my heart every time I heard it.

Goodbye.

I slid out of bed and into a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. Hurriedly, I rushed with brushing my teeth and brushing my hair. When was 'on his way'? My head hurt from a little too much red wine after calling Rachel. What? I was nervous. I needed something to calm me down, and it worked. Of course, now my head hurt like Zeus when Athena was born and my hair was in a curly mess. I just stick with white wine from now on.

The sound of a knock sent my world spinning. Either that or I had way too much to drink last night. Either or, someone knocked on the door. I ran down the stairs. This is it. Time to face the truth.

XXXXXXX

"I'll put him to bed," Percy whispered before taking the unconscious two year old to his room. It was late, and I had gotten out of talking about the letter this far into the day. So, now, I had taken in all the joy of seeing Percy, Luke, and I together without tension for what could be the last time. This time, I had that to thrive on as he would break the news to me. Athena would be proud for how I'm handling myself. Well, she wouldn't like how I was so wound up about this about a 'Sea Spawn', but that's another battle.

Percy came down the stairs looking cuter than ever, making me want to cry. Did he have to be so cute? Maybe he could get shorter or something to help me through this. Or like a terrible character flaw you just cant look pass. That could help.

"We need to talk," he warned me. I nodded. Here we go.

Percy:

"So, Annabeth the spy?" I asked as I held up the letter. She looked down, trying to blush or smile, but she was to nervous for that. I was nervous to, but this had to be done with. I had spent the last two sleepless nights thinking about this. Annabeth seriously I would just leave her for something so simple as this. I loved her, and she didn't trust me. I had been in love with her from the time we were eleven, and she still didn't trust me. You'd think saving her life would settle that one, but apparently not.

"Percy, I had to," Annabeth told me taking a seriousness that was usually saved for mom moments with our son, "I was nervous for Luke. I told you that when you stepped in as dad, you couldn't just leave it."

"I'm not trying to leave it," I said with an anger boiling inside me. Why would she think that? I had been trying my hardest since the day I found out about Luke to be the best father I could be when most would have been sent running home in fear.

"Percy, you're going to Bermuda. If you don't call it trying to get away, then I don't know what trying to get away is," Annabeth crossed her arms. A glint in her grey eyes sent fear coursing through my veins like it used to when we were younger. I used to think that, just like being with the oracle from when we were younger, if I looked at that look for too long, I would go crazy. That fact still seemed to be in effect. I took a breath to let the fear subside. Okay, I can continue now.

"They asked me. I didn't ask them, okay?" I defended. I didn't have to go. You'd think a daughter of Athena would get that, but _nooooo_. I get the one that's scared of feelings and taught our five year old more words than I knew by the time I was in sixth grade. Well, at least he talks. I know kids who barely talk at all. Wait, wasn't I fighting with Annabeth a minute ago? Yeah, I was. Let's get back to that.

Annabeth's grey eyes shifted. Unaware on if she should let the tears release or if she should narrow her eyes, her voice faltered, something she hadn't done in a long time. I tried not to look at the fact that I had done that to her. Instead, I guiltily looked down at the ground.

"Percy, you didn't ask for Hawaii. But you still left," Annabeth's eyes were watering as she managed to whisper. I took a step back. That's what she really thought of me. She still saw me as the twenty-six year old who left her with a kid. Before I could find words, Annabeth ran out the front door, slamming it behind her.

"Annabeth!" I called out as I followed. How did this happen? I swear, Aphrodite hates me. I'm sure of it. Maybe it's because I said anyone who'd date Ares would have to be ugly. Yeah, I'm sure that's it. Some people just cant get rid of a grudge. Even when I give her a perfect soap-opera-like show for my life.

"What?" she asked, not looking up. Her blonde curls were spilling into her face. Tears were spilling down on to her tee-shirt. I sat down beside her on the brick steps. The spring air had set in, and it would have felt sweet had Annabeth not been crying beside me.

"I'm sorry," I finally told her, letting the cool night air set in. Part of me wanted to slip off my jacket and put it around her arms, but I didn't. It didn't seem like the right thing to do at the very moment.

"You're going aren't you? It'd be a great opportunity. Better than Hawaii," Annabeth told me. Before I could answer, she continued, "It was your dream when we were younger. This is perfect for you. You get to live your dream," her voice pained to tell me.

"Annabeth, you really don't get it do you?" I smiled. She looked up at me with eyes that had long lost hope. I had to admit, she had every right to look like that. Her first love died telling her he loved her, and she had to tell him she only loved him like a brother. She ran away from her father when she was seven, and until her son, when she was twenty-six, wasn't close to him. She spent six months losing her mind when I was kidnapped by the Romans. She was then forced to choose between saving me from being a household pet or following CeCe. Then, her best friend came back from the grave and left to join Artemis in the Hunters. Luke tricked her into holding up the weight of the world. She then had to put up with me when I was all 'Team Rachel' and avoided her because she hated Rachel. Then, who knows how many other things happened to her.

Long story short: she has had a tough life.

Just because, she had every little right to have lost hope, that doesn't mean I want her to. I used to be the reason she didn't leave us for Luke when we were younger. She was the reason I carried on, and I wanted to do the same for her. If Annabeth hadn't been Luke's mother, I would have been scared to death about being a father, not that I already wasn't, but I knew Annabeth would be there to help me with Luke. So, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Get what?" she asked, her voice soft and broken.

"Annabeth, when we were younger, you never asked me what my dream was. You saw my major and assumed," I told her looking out at the stars.

"Then what is you dream?" Annabeth asked with fear.

"Annabeth, ever since I was a kid, sure, I wanted a great job, but that wasn't really it. I wanted you, Annabeth. I wanted to settle down, get married, and have a child. Sure, it happened out of order, but I still want that," I told her. She was still looking up at me.

"You- you do?" her voice pained.

"Annabeth, I still do, and I always will," I told her.

"I love you, Percy," Annabeth cried. I'm pretty sure they were happy tears, but I'm not sure. So, pulled her close to me.

"I love you, Annabeth," I whispered in her ear.

"So, are you still moving?" Annabeth asked still in my grasp.

"No, Annie, I'm not moving," I smiled.

"Good," Annabeth smiled.

So, no Bermuda. Ehh, anyway, you'll never believe this. My writing may be a little ehh… anyway, the reason would be that my friend, Seth moved to a seat behind me, and I cant go ten minutes without laughing at him. So, as you can tell, my school work is going

****to be for the next three weeks of school is going to be. Anyway, wish me luck on that one. He is crazy. Completely insane.****

**Anyway, hope you toe-tally wuved it! Next up, a certain someone is going on a little shopping trip. Tweedy do. Tweedly dum. :]**

**Oh, so, my computer broke. I had to get a new charger, and it took me forever. I was losing my mind. I just reworked it, and I just babysat a two year old. He was nothing like Luke. So, Luke is a weird two year old. I tried to work it back in, but it was taking too long. So, the kid is two.**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Annabeth:**_

"Annie, you know I have to go," Percy warned me.

"But, Percy," I begged not wanting to let go of him. He chuckled himself before smiling into my hair. I smiled, too. Sure, I knew I would have to let go of his hand, but right now didn't seem like then. Instead of letting go like he wanted, I tightened my grip on his hand and pushed myself closer to him in the sheets.

"Annie, it's already six. I was supposed to leave earlier. Luke could be up at almost any time, and you know that. Now, Annabeth, are you going to let go of me?" Percy asked. I sighed. Did he have to use logic? Aren't Seaweed Brains supposed to be the one not wanting to let go? I'm the Wise Girl. I'm supposed to be warning him that Luke will be up. What happened? Did some god make a characteristic transplant? They had to. Then again, even the smartest can break down when they're with someone extremely hot. don't you dare tell anyone I said hot.

"Fine," I reluctantly released his hand which was wrapped around me. He kissed the side of my head before getting up. I turned around to look up at the ceiling. Deciding I would eventually have to get up, I slipped out of the bed into a white button-up blouse. By the time I had the last button in the right notch, Percy emerged dressed and ready to leave. I groaned.

"Do you have to go?" I whined. Percy stepped forward.

"Annabeth," Percy tried to look serious though he was hiding a grin.

"Fine, I'll stop complaining," I sighed. Percy's sea green eyes watched me as I crossed my arms. I tapped my fingers against my arms.

"So now you're impatient for me to leave?" Percy joked with a cocky grin. I stepped even closer to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"No, I'm thinking that if you don't leave now, I'll end up pulling you back. You'll have to go through that whole twenty minutes of trying to get me to finally let go of you. You don't want to do that again," I smiled.

"No, you are very wrong, for once," Percy wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me, "I don't _want_ to go. I _have_ to."

"Nice save," I whispered before pulling him back into an even longer kiss. It wasn't until I realized I was about to pull him back in the sheets that I noticed the clock that said it had been half an hour. I quickly pulled away.

"What?" he asked with a smile. I pointed to the alarm clock on the bedside table. He mumbled an Ancient Greek curse word. I ignored the lecture I wanted to make him suffer through and ran to get the navy slacks from my closet in case Percy didn't make it out before our son got up.

"I have to go," he told me as he opened the bedroom door.

"I love you," I smiled.

"I love you, too, Annabeth," he smiled before leaving. I slipped into the slacks and crept to my son's room where I carefully creaked the door open.

An asleep five year old was passed out over under his blue blanket. It amazed me how he had kicked off most of the blankets, but Wabbie was being clutched tightly in his arms. How does he do that? Well, he's definitely his father's son. No question, not that there ever was one. You know, let's just not bring up anything like I just said to like, um, anyone, particularly not Percy. You know how he gets. Wait, why am I saying this? Who are 'you'? Is there a 'you' and why would 'you' tell?

Let me get back to wherever the Hades I was. All right, give me a minute to see where I was once again. I smiled before my phone vibrated in my pocket though I didn't remember putting it in my pocket. Yeah, wait, now I'm remembering, I hurried to put my phone somewhere last night. I suppose it was in this pocket. I closed the door and hopefully slipped out the phone.

No, I'm not thinking its Percy. He just left. How pathetic would that be? Pff, as if. Fine, but don't tell anyone, okay. Good. I opened the message to see five beautiful letters

P.E.R.C.Y.

_From Percy:_

_Is Luke asleep?_

Sure, the message was asking about our son , not talking to me, but it was something. Some guys sleep with a girl and don't call back, not that Percy is in a position where that is possible, but hey? It's still something. Dare I say as it is very un-Athena, it has been only minutes, and I already miss that stupid Seaweed Brain. Why didn't I make him come home, again? Apparently, I was crazy and too wired on pregnancy hormones to realize how so very much I loved and needed him.

Now, I'm not worried about Luke not liking us together or Percy not feeling the same way or anything like that. I'm worried for something much bigger. Being too much in love with him. We've passed the starting to get comfortable with each other stage, the nervousness, the 'I love you' exchanging, the first night slept over, and all that. We're into the final stage. The realization of what comes next. Marriage. Am I ready to go off and marry Percy, a man I was worried would leave me less than twenty-four hours ago? Is he ready to marry a 'Know-It-All' girl he's known his entire life, who thought he would leave her for something as small as a job? Is Lucas even ready for that?

Wait, what am I doing? It's not like I know Percy wants to marry me or anything. That's probably the last thing on his mind.

I quickly typed back a response and jammed my phone into my pocket before getting the liquid I so very needed. Coffee.

_**Percy:**_

As I entered the busy street after work, the first thing on my mind would be the ring sitting in my apartment. No one knew of the diamond ring waiting for me to make a critical decision that would change everything. I had bought the ring before the letter came in and had thought of returning it because she didn't trust me. After seeing her crying at the thought of losing me and me wanting to make her as happy as I possibly could, I knew not to return it. After never wanting to leave her this morning and seeing her feel the same way, I knew I had to propose.

Okay, not _had to_, but wanted to. You're taking this out of context. I knew I would never be happy unless I did. See, why didn't I just say that? All good here? Great.

Back to where I was, did she want to marry me? I mean, her life was so busy at the time. Work is really taking off for her, and our son, Lucas, is a five year-old. She has enough to deal with him, even with my help, considering we're starting to think he might have ADD. Considering we've both been through it, we're making sure to see if he has the signs we had. So, everything has been a little hard recently. Would trying to put a diamond on her finger make everything harder?

How would I do it? Just get down on one knee? Include Luke in asking? Should I even ask? Ugh, this is too hard! How did Grover do this?

Instead of pondering how my friend, who was easily scared, was able to pop the question to Juniper, I called a cab and thought about the ring the entire ride to my apartment. I loved Annabeth more than I thought possible. My heart would go crazy just thinking about her. I wanted to marry her and maybe even have another child. I still wanted to wake up every morning to know that Annabeth would be beside me, in love with me. I had gotten a taste of how sweet it was when we lived together years ago. This morning, the blissful taste swept over my tongue to fill me with happiness.

More than anything, I wanted to not only give Luke the happy family Annabeth and I never had and Luke deserved, but to give myself a family to call my own. A loving wife who knows me better than I know myself and loves me more than anyone ever has. I want Annabeth.

**So, he's going to propose! It may take a while for him to pop the question, but he's thinking about it. You know how stupid a 'Seaweed Brain' can be. I should know. I have one. Luckily, I don't love him, though. To answer someone's question [I would say who but I cant access it at the very time being], the last chapter was to show how much they actually loved each other. I'll be working this weekend due to reasons posted on We All Grow Up. BYEA!**


	15. What Happened To Forever

Annabeth:

I sat staring at my laptop, feeling the words slip away from me. Ever since Percy and I had gotten back together, my writing has been the best it's been in years, but as I sat on the couch, staring at my new Acer computer screen, I felt a type of writers block I hadn't felt since I had the flu and couldn't think last year. I was almost done with my book. All I had left were two more chapters, but I couldn't find the words.

I don't know why that was true. I suppose it might be that I hadn't seen or heard from Percy in some time. He had to cancel Tuesday because of work. Whenever he tried to call, I was busy. When I called, he was busy. This had become a pathetically sad routine. I missed him, but I wasn't desperate enough to track him down or anything. I just used latitude on our phones to make sure he wasn't in another country or anything. That's not stalking my boyfriend, right? I'm sure it isn't.

Speaking of that, I took out my cell phone. I wanted to call him, but I knew he'd be busy as it was he was finishing all his work so he could pick up Luke. Tuesday was my most busy day, and Thursday was his. Luke was at some kid's birthday party. I hated the kid's mom. So, naturally the kids have to be close friends. It's only fair for them to be best friends when we hate each other.

Don't ya just love how life works out?

I was surprised by the ringing of my phone as I had forgotten about laying it on the couch to stare once more at the screen in hopes of the writer's block to be lifted. No such luck. Making sure I actually wanted to talk to the person on the other line, I struggled to read five letters on the caller's ID.

P.E.R.C.Y.

Percy! I pressed the send button as fast as my hands would let me. I couldn't stop smiling, though I realize now how pathetic it was. Hey. I love the guy. I haven't even seen him in days. I _need_ to talk to him. I will go insane without him. I truly will. Don't test it.

"Perce," I managed to scramble out, trying not to sound too happy. I wanted him to think wasn't desperate to hear from him or that I had been thinking about him every second. Instead, he seemed to buy the idea that I was actually fine where as I missed him so much. I don't even know why I miss him this much. I went almost three years without him with a son who shared his DNA and his looks. You'd think I'd be fine, but I'm not, though he thinks I am. That's really all I need.

"Annabeth, Luke came over here early because something happened at the party. I have to work. So, can you come pick him up?" Percy asked. He couldn't just work later? Our son has been missing him like crazy, even more than me. Luke had been looking forward to this for days, and Percy was going to just have me pick him up? Why does a Seaweed Brain have to be the father of my child?

"Yeah, Percy . I'll come over to get him, but you really need to spend time with him. He misses you," I warned. Then I changed my voice to seem less Momish. Yes, Momish is a word! "I miss you, Percy."

"Annabeth, I know. I promise we all can get together on Saturday, but right now I need to work just like you needed to work last Tuesday," I could imagine Percy's cocky smile. Oh, I missed him. Deciding I really needed to see him right now, I got off the couch while putting the computer back in its case.

"I said I was sorry," I smiled as I slid into a pair of my grey flats and a grey knit jacket. I buttoned up the oversized buttons and stopped to look at myself in the mirror in the hallway near the door. My blonde curls were pulled up into a high ponytail. My bangs still managed to slip out into my startling eyes. My skin was starting to lose the Florida tan, but I'd be regaining it with the upcoming summer. My cheeks were already flushed, as they always are no matter what. When we were younger, Percy joked that he was so cute that he made me nervous just thinking about him. He may have been right, not that I would _ever_ tell him that.

"I know," Percy told me. A muffled call sounded from beyond Percy. Percy mumbled something before returning to our phone call, "I'll see you when you get here, okay, Annie?"

"Okay, Percy," I told him even though I could feel his awkwardness with the last thing he said through the phone. He hung up the phone without another word. I wanted to tell him 'I love you' before he could, but apparently, he was super busy. Who would be yelling at him? Luke doesn't, and it sounded like a girl.

**Xxxxxx**

"Mommy," Luke ran first to hug me. I smiled as I pulled the two year old closer to me. Luke looked up from my hug to look into my grey eyes.

"Does this mean we have to go?" Luke asked disappointed. I sadly nodded. Luke sighed and leaned back onto me.

"Luka, I promise we'll all hang out on Friday and Saturday, okay?" Percy tried to smile as if he knew the two year old would be satisfied with that even though we both knew he wouldn't be. As anticipated, Lucas didn't go for it. Instead, he solemnly sighed again and leaned deeper into me.

"You must be Annabeth," a girl's voice called out. Before I could even look at Percy, a girl stepped forward to where I could see her through the doorway. She had a short, blonde bob. A clip held back her bangs from falling into her face and to hide her brown roots that needed a very good stylist. The last few buttons on her blue button-up were undone and plunged a little too far to be around a two year old. What part of an upper top there actually was, was practically see-through. A black pencil skirt gave the illusion of curves on her straight body. Three inch heels also cast a look of being tall, though she had to be around 5'4 as I was a good three inches taller than her. Quickly, I nodded if she was wearing some sort of way of seeing if she was in a relationship. Nothing. Percy was hanging out with a slut who wasn't with anyone. Perfect.

"And you might be?" I asked not answering her question. That's face it. It wasn't that hard to tell as Percy had a picture of the three of us in his room and Luke just ran to me saying 'Mommy!' You'd have to be an idiot to think anything else.

"Oh, I'm Sarah. Luke here is such a Suh-weet Huh-art!" Sarah gushed. I felt like slapping her. What? I really wanted to slap her. Is that a problem? If you think it is, maybe _you_ need to be slapped. Oh, we're all good? I thought so.

"Percy, call me later, okay? We need to work out a time to see Luka here," I smiled at the two year old who was becoming the only reason Sarah didn't have a knife stabbed into her perfectly flat stomach. Well, I would be like that if I hadn't been carrying his child two years ago! So, yeah. Oh my God, did I seriously just say that? Curse that Seaweed Brain for making me like this.

"Got it," Percy told me. I nodded okay, in hopes that I could now leave as I couldn't go another ten minutes even looking at Sarah without calling her a few choice words that I'd prefer my son _never _hear. Instead, I bit my tongue in order to stop myself.

"Bye, Daddy," Luke told Percy. Percy smiled before telling him goodbye as well. Finally, I made it out of the Hades hole I now know as Percy's apartment. Lucas was still upset that he didn't get much time with his father, and my father and I not being close when I was young, I understood completely. So, I ended up taking him to his favorite ice cream shop that happened to be in between Percy's apartment and my townhouse. When we first got to New York, our first priority was to find the perfect ice cream shop to take the place of the one Luke and I loved back in Cali. So, Heaven Soft Served overtook the love we had for the old one we loved. In some ways, it marked as the fact that Cali wasn't home anymore, it was New York. As we speak, I sat at the park licking the green ice cream, don't even get me started. Apparently, just like his evil little father, Luke wants his favorite color in green. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get pizza green? You don't want to know.

"Mommy?" Luke asked me. I looked down at the two year old who was sitting on the bench beside me.

"Yes, Sweetheart?" I asked my two year old. He quite frequently shocked me with intelligence I was hoping I could wait a little bit longer for him to get. I love how smart my son is. I mean, his grandmother is the god of wisdom. It's only natural, but it just isn't that. I'm just… he is like his father. He looks like him. He kind of talks like him. I just wonder if he'll be like him.

Will he make a girl fall in love with him when their twelve then for the next four years give her mixed signals? Will he make another girl fall for him then decide to take over being the oracle? What about living with a girl for years and not actually ever popping the question? Or getting a job and leaving his girlfriend without knowing she was pregnant with his child? What about then getting her to fall back in love with him as they raise their child? Maybe even the whole 'Little-B*****-Who-Is-Trying-To-Steal-Time-Away-From-The-Woman-Who-Loves-Him-And-His-Zuessin'-Son!' thing. Nothing really.

"Why doesn't Daddy want to spend time with me?" Luke asked.

I felt my heart stop. Percy is dead. He won't be seeing a bedroom with me anytime soon, I can assure you. I couldn't stop myself from pulling Luke closer to me, though this time he didn't seem to mind as much. I guess he knew it was inevitable.

"Luka, your father loves you. He's just been really busy, but on Friday, you'll be sleeping over with him. It'll be just you and him," I smiled. Sure, I was giving up my time with Percy, but Luke needed this more than I do. Of course I wanted to be with my boyfriend as I hadn't been able to for days. My son just asked why his father doesn't want to be around him. If that isn't a game changer, I don't know what is.

"Really?" Luke's entire face lit up. And right choice was made.

_**Percy:**_

I waited for Annabeth to answer the Iris Message. I hadn't seen her since she had come by to pick him up, and she looked mad at the time. I hadn't actually kissed her for days. My boss piled me into a group with Sarah to work on something that could land me a raise. Sarah was a good partner though. Well, most of the time. She honestly did a lot of the work, but I gave all the ideas. So, it was pretty sweet. Although, I'm starting to think I need to get my AC checked out because every few minutes she'd unbutton part of her shirt…..

Wait a minute…..

While I was considering that, Annabeth finally answered the message. Her long blonde curls that were slipping out of a ponytail tussled onto a blue sweatshirt that was so oversized I was wondering if it was mine. Her long legs were shown off in a pair of grey short shorts. She looked tired and slightly… uh oh, she's mad.

Annabeth sat down on her couch and crossed her arms before looking into the Iris Message. Her grey eyes ripped through me, making me want to cower. Okay, what'd I do? Think she will tell you.

"By the way, Luke's spending the night with you on Friday," she told me without even asking me. Okay, I did something really bad.

"What about us? We were supposed to spend some time together, too," I tried. She continued to look at me.

"Why doesn't Daddy want to spend time with me?" Annabeth asked.

"What?" I asked trying not to laugh.

"Your son asked me that today." It stopped being funny. He said that? I've just been busy. I'm trying. I knew this would happen. I was going to get back to him when I was done with the work thing. He knew that, right? I wasn't blowing him off. Oh my gods, my son thinks I'm blowing him off.

"He did?" I asked hoping it was not true.

"Percy, I had to listen to my son ask me why his father didn't want to spend time with him! You couldn't just tell that Furry to leave!" Annabeth yelled.

"_That furry to leave_?" I asked. Annabeth barely even side glanced it. Instead, she continued to rant.

"Oh come on. She was basically undressing in front of us. It was freezing in there, and she was basically wearing nothing. Besides, her body language was totally all over you," Annabeth pointed out like it was completely obvious, total kid of Athena.

"Sarah is not into me!" I felt my anger boiling.

"Are you seriously defending her! Your son thinks you don't love him!" Annabeth screeched.

"I'm not defending anyone. You know, he wouldn't feel like that if you had told me you were pregnant. All of this could be avoided," I yelled. Annabeth took a breath. Oh no, this wasn't a plan revenge breath. This was a 'I cannot believe he just said that.' breath.

"You're never going to get over that! that's it. I'm done. I don't want a relationship were there are still grudges," Annabeth shook her head.

"What do you mean 'You're done'?" I asked trying to stay mad.

"I'm done. This is done. We're done. You will take care of Luke and be a good father, but that is it. We are over," Annabeth shook her hand through the message ending it.

**i just got a new laptop and am working on transferring the files. it may take awhile because some got all messed up. so, We all grow up may take some time for the final chapter. school is out in one week. i have to go with my mom for the next two days. so,i'll be writing then. i also have a paper due, my friend is leaving in a few days for London and he'll be gone for a while so trying to spend some time with him, getting ready for summer, and all that. so this may take awhile, but once my BDAY is over, MAY 24!, i'll be back in the groove. oh my god. i cannot belive i said that. well, going to sign off before i embarrass myself some more**


	16. Maybe Life Isnt So Bad Afterall

_**PERCY:**_

I'd love to say Annabeth was wrong and even that she dumped me for absolutely nothing. I would absolutely beyond love to, but I can't. I told Sarah about Annabeth breaking up with me, and she tried to kiss me. I then kicked her out of my apartment and told her I'd work on our project and let her take credit. Picking up Luke to watch him this weekend was hard. I had hoped that she would feel guilty and want to get back together. I hadn't been hit with such luck. I tried not to look like I was missing her as much as I really was just like she seemed to not be missing me.

I kept thinking that we'd be back together by the end of the next day and, soon enough, there would be an engagement ring on her finger. It had been two days as it was Friday night. Luke had passed out in his bed at my apartment. Now, I was trying to the same, but I ended up just looking at the picture of Annabeth and Luke in my arms. We were so happy. Now look at us.

It was finally setting in. Annabeth left me, and I'm still madly in love with her as I have been since before I was even old enough to drive. Most aren't able to look at pictures of their exes, but all I wanted to do was look at her so that I at least knew that at one time she had been with me. The worst thing about a break-up would be the fact that the one who could get you through this all would be the reason you're hurt. She was just so pretty in the picture beside my bed. Her grey eyes peaked out to look at the camera from her light blonde curls. She leaned into me in a way that looked like she never wanted to leave my arms. I then looked at my son. This wasn't just good for us; it was amazing for him to get to see his parents finally back together. I can't find it within myself to tell him were not together anymore. I guess I just want him to figure it out on his own.

I suddenly found myself about to press the speed dial for Annabeth. I wanted to talk to her, but there were two reasons why I couldn't. 1: it's one in the freaking morning 2: she broke up with me only a little while ago. Taking a breath, I decided I had to talk to her. I needed to at least try to get her back. I mean, this would seem little compared to everything I've ever done for her.

Let's start around the time we moved in together when we were about twenty four:

I killed every little spider that she freaked out about.

I put up with her while she was decorating the flippin' house.

I cheered her up whenever something bad happened and made her feel safe.

I helped her when she was just starting out at work and was so nervous.

I repainted her office, which became Luke's room eventually, repeatedly after she would get mad and throw something at the wall, ruining the paint.

I tried to stay when she told me to go.

I tried to get back together with her when I saw her.

I didn't run away when I found out about our son.

I tried to raise him with her.

Who knows what else I did or what else I messed up.

_**Annabeth:**_

"_Thank you so much," I kissed Percy. _

"_Annabeth, all I did was kill a spider," he pointed out. I smiled knowing my next move._

"_Fine, if you don't want me to congratulate you, then fine. I'll just get back to unpacking," I shrugged. Percy smiled his perfectly cocky smile. The sight made me smile as he pulled me into a long kiss. We had just moved into together back in California. Our love was still new and fresh. I thought I was going to be with him forever. _

_I'm not so sure anymore._

I woke up almost crying. I had ended it. So, why do I feel so terrible? He was never going to get over me not telling him about our son. I wasn't going to hold onto the past. This was best. It had to be. I didn't have much of a choice anymore.

Trying to get away from the thought of Percy, I focused on waking up. I used to love sleeping alone. I didn't have to worry about if I screamed from a bad dream that I'd wake someone up or when I toss and turn how I won't wake anyone up or anything. I hadn't gotten much time to sleep alone as Luke was still getting used to New York and comes into my room to sleep in my bed a lot or, well, all I need to say is Percy. Right now, as I looked at the empty side of the bed, it didn't feel right.

When Percy picked him up, it was just terrible. I had thought that he would at least be a little awkward or missing me or something, but he didn't seem to be then. He picked up Luke like it was nothing. Then he just left. He didn't even try to talk to me or anything. He kept to our deal of being a good father and that's it. I suppose that's a good thing, though right now it just hurts.

I turned over to look at the clock in hopes that I could just leave the thoughts behind. The white numbers of nine AM blinked in front of me. Percy would be here in about an hour. I dreaded seeing him. If it hurt just to look at things he had looked at, what would it be like looking at the real thing?

About forty-five minutes later, after a long shower and repeated wardrobe changes, I had decided that either I had to get rid of all my stuff or move to another townhouse. This couch reminded me that Luke found out Percy was his father there. The mirror reminded me of when I snuck out to see Percy while Rachel watched him. The kitchen reminded me of when he told me he loved me. I think my room is self-explanatory. The bookshelf in Luke's room reminded me of how upset I was that he could build it and I couldn't. The TV reminded me of the 'Killing Bubble Guppy Creators' conversation. The stairs outside reminded me of when he ran out to find me after I thought he was leaving me for Bermuda.

Everything here had a story. Stories I didn't want to hear anymore. Sarah won. She broke me so much that I couldn't bend to stay with him anymore. I knew that this all was best, but I missed him. I didn't want to marry some guy named Connor while he's with some girl who wants my son! I never wanted that. Then how'd it happen? Well, it hasn't happened yet, but it could.

A knock from the door interrupted my mental pity party.

_Annie, what the Hades are you doing? Did you forget that _you_ broke up with him? You must have. Missing him is not an option, _I tried to convince myself though I didn't buy it. I had to talk to him. This was it. Maybe he even missed me, too. It could be possible.

"Mommy," Luke smiled as he rushed forward through the doorway with Percy behind him. I have to say Percy was looking his usual hotness, only a little nervous, but that was when he was at his cutest. Only my luck could have Percy being hot after I broke up with him. What the Hades was I thinking? As Percy's green eyes looked up at Luke as I hugged him, I could only think that no wonder Sarah was head over heels for him.

Sarah. An unsettling taste washed over my tongue. Miss Pretty Perfect still liked him, and with me breaking up with him, who knows what happened. He could have been angry enough to give into her. He may have liked her better. She _was_ about three years younger than me and didn't have the responsibility of a child to wear her down. Even I had to admit, she was pretty, not knock out beautiful, but pretty. She was also easy, unlike me who you have to work to please. All he had to do was look at Sarah the right way. God, why was I stupid enough to dump him?

"Lucas, you better get ready for Aunt Rachel," I told him as I released the two year old. He nodded and ran up the stairs to his room, leaving me and Percy alone and leaving me to be courageous and tell Percy how much I miss him.

"He's a good kid," I finally said. Sure, it wasn't what I really wanted to say, but it was something.

"He really is," Percy agreed. We both knew how awkward this was going. Percy took a very deep breath, one I'm not even sure if I could do, before starting off again, "Annabeth…"

I looked up at him. It was hard to control my beating heart, but I managed it somehow or another. I knew my mother would not be proud of this, but I stopped worrying about that a long time ago. I kind of cared when I moved in with Percy, but, by the time I was pregnant with Luke, it became the last thing on my mind. Luckily, my son had brought at least a little peace to Poseidon and Athena, not enough but something. At least they stopped threatening each other's children because of us. That's something, right?

I no longer could wait for Percy to say something. I was a daughter of Athena. Being impatient comes with the territory. What to say, you may ask. Well, unfortunately, I didn't ask the same question. Instead, I just blurted it all out.

"I miss you, Percy," I rushed to say as I was scared he wouldn't feel the same way. I don't know how long we stood there, but it felt like a lifetime of my heart beating erratically, looking at him almost about to cry, and preparing for the worst. Percy's face was shocked.

I don't quite remember everything that happened in that time. I do know that somehow I ended up in his arms with him whispering in my ear, 'I love you, Annabeth. I love you'. Even though I knew everything was fine, I still cried into his neck.

"I was just being jealous as I always am. I am so sorry," I tried.

"I'd love to agree, but you were right. Sarah made a move on me on Thursday," Percy told me. I tried not to smugly smile. I just love being right, don't you? I especially love it when others are wrong. Is that bad?

"I shouldn't have freaked out about you saying that about me not telling. You're right about it. If I had told you, everything would be different, even better for Luke," I was about to say 'I'm a bad mother,' but my voice was too dry to say it. I opened my mouth to say it but couldn't get the words actually out.

"Annabeth, you were scared. Besides, if I had done one thing differently, none of this would have happened," he told me. At first, I thought he meant leaving, but for some very odd reason, I got the feeling that wasn't what he meant. Instead of saying anything, I stayed quiet, silently urging him to continue.

"I had bought the ring two months before I left, but every time I was going to ask, I couldn't do it. If I had just asked, none of this would have happened," he sounded like he was just talking to himself. I tried not to think about what he just said as he looked back down at me, "But I'm here now."

I don't know if he meant to get down on one knee, but I didn't want to leave his grasp for him to do so. So, it didn't happen. Instead, he brought out a ring box from his pocket. I've got to give him credit for pulling off a dramatic proposal.

"Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?" Percy asked as he took out the ring, but his eyes never left mine. I didn't stop to look at the ring. Instead, I just looked at him. It wasn't an answer I had to think about much. I nodded yes without even the slightest thought about it. As he put the ring on my finger, I finally looked at. Even I have to admit, it was beautiful. A two carat circular diamond sat in the middle with two diamonds beside it sitting on the platinum band. I didn't spend too much time looking at it.

Girls who are in love understand this. Sure, you absolutely love the ring, but you love the person giving it more. His sea green eyes looked into mine.

"I love you, Seaweed Brain," I smiled.

"No matter how many times you call me that, I love you, too," he smiled before a kiss that lasted a long time and would have lasted longer had we not heard the sound of SpongeBob in Luka's room.

"Wait a minute, did we just get engaged?" I asked. Well, give me some credit. We went from broken up to engaged so fast, it caused a little confusion. Percy let out a really cute laugh, like insanely cute laugh.

"Yes, Annabeth, yes we did."

**for the ring: .?GroupSku=GRP10039&selectedSku=19579468#f+0/1001/2002/3001/0/1001**

**Was it too awkward? It was a little awkward. Well, considering I'm not allowed to date for two more years, I've never been proposed to. So just take that into consideration. So, my Sims game is totally freakin' annoying. I'm working on transferring everything from my old vaio to my acer. Everything was messed up. My documents, my games wont transfer at all so I have to go on amazon download manager to get all back, my contacts, everything all freakin messed up. Wish this geek some luck as she has to try to figure how the Hades to do it without offending her dad as when he did it, it all messed up. I have a plan though. A devious, evil plan. Okay, fine, I always have a devious and evil plan for everything, even how to tell my best friend that saying 'Harriet Tubman was wiped as young as six and younger' in his report is repetitive. Yeah, he's pretty mad that I was right after he asked the teacher. **

**BTW, LOOK AT THIS: Although people are far less superstitious now than they were in the past, the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina estimates that 17 to 21 million people in the U.S. have a diagnosable phobia of Friday the 13th. The illness Is called friggatriskaidekaphobia. TO SEE MORE ON FRIDAY THE 13TH GO TO: .?gt1=49006#!stackState=3_%2Fliving%%3FphotoId%3D42407**


	17. Chapter 17

_**Yes, I **_**FINALLY**_** updated.**_

_**Annabeth:**_

"Annabeth, it's gorgeous. Wait, you're sure Percy picked this one out? It's too perfect," Rachel smiled as she looked back up from the ring. I rolled my eyes as I handed her the glass of red wine. After waking up with a hangover more times in these last few months than in years, I switched to a lesser alcohol content in white wine, and I haven't broken it too much. Well, fine, I broke it once when I had just broken up with Percy, and Luke was with Percy. I was only a little drunk, but I deserved it, didn't i? I had just been stupid enough to dump the love of my life. If that isn't worth it, then I don't know what is. This is a special occasion, too. So, I can drink the wine, and if you disagree, you may just find yourself with a broken nose. Maybe.

"Shut up. It's perfect, and Percy can shock us with the occasional brilliance, and you know it," I smiled at the redhead. Rachel proceeded to shrug.

"Fine, but if I do agree to being your maid of honor, I will not wear some ugly, frilly little dress. I'm picturing something elegant and black. Pretty, but It won't distract form the bride, of course. Not a mini dress, but a… oh gods, what is it called, again?" Rachel finally seemed to acknowledge me. Sometimes she thinks we know exactly what she's talking about, and most of the time I do. That it so not my point, though.

"Rachel, you have to be my maid of honor. You're the entire reason we're together, remember? Please, and if that doesn't work, who will be? Thalia can't do it. Artemis would kill her. I'm not asking anyone else. You have to do it. Pretty please?" I begged. I was so not going to ask any of my other friends as they would not understand some of the things involved in a demigod wedding. Besides, Rachel is my absolute best friend of all time, excluding Thalia, not that she counts.

"Fine, but I want a good dress, deal?" Rachel tried to bargain. I wrapped my arms around Rachel's neck and pulled her closer into a bear hug she usually gave me.

"Loving the enthusiasm, but this happens to be crushing me," Rachel tried. I released the red head. It started to settle in that Percy and I were engaged, and I was planning a wedding. I wasn't too good with parties as raising Luke had kept me away from them, and the only ones I managed to go to would be business fundraisers where I fake a smile and basically try to get business and people to buy stocks. How do you plan a wedding?

"Rachel, how the Hades are we going to do this?" I asked letting the worry and nerves kick in.

"I have absolutely no idea," Rachel smiled giddily. I just knew whatever she was thinking of could not be good at all. From the glint in her eyes, I'm guessing she was planning to boycott inviting some freak that was mean to us in high school or something but making sure they knew about the wedding. Maybe even something worse, but I have absolutely no way of knowing, unless I …. No, not going to do that.

"You're proving yourself a wonderful maid of honor," I joked with sarcasm. Rachel avoided the sarcasm and placed her hand over heart in a 'That-Is-Just-So-Sweet' way.

"Where's Fish Boy?" Rachel completely changed the subject out of nowhere as she often did. Hoping she was referring to Percy, not my son, I answered.

"I'm pretty sure he's telling his mom," I shrugged. Rachel continued on, making me know my suspicions of her talking about my son were wrong.

"Have you told your dad yet?" Rachel took a sip of her wine. I thought about it. I remembered that Rachel came over after Percy proposed and we spent some much deserved time together. When Luke got back from hanging out with Rachel, we just watched some terrible kid's movie, Cars I think, and spent the rest of the day together. I remember telling my friends afterwards. Did I call Dad? I'm pretty sure I did.

"Yeah," I lied. Well, I don't know if I was lying. I'll call him later to confirm.

"How'd he take it?" Rachel asked me. Perfect. Since when did she want to talk about my dad?

"He- uh, he took it. Well he took it-"I tried to come up with something. Now that I think about it I didn't tell him. My phone rang from inside my pocket. Taking a large sip of wine, I ran up to answer my phone. Knowing my luck, it would be my dad. I'm starting to wonder if he just knows when stuff happens to me, like when Percy and I kissed for the first time, my dad decided to send me an iris message. Or when I was about to call him to tell him I was pregnant, my phone started ringing with him on the other line. Now that I'm thinking about it, how will I take Luke calling me one day to tell me he's going to have a child of his own? Let's just not bring it up.

"Daddy," I tried to sound upbeat.

"What happened?" my father asked me. I can imagine his arms crossed with a mischievous glint in his eyes as he is trying to figure it out before I said it, as I did when I knew something was going on. Okay, Annie, just say those words. Instead, I stalled.

"Daddy, why do you think something happened?" I nervously tapped my hands across one of the thousand bookshelves here, only to be reminded that I was engaged and my father was unaware of it. I would have been screaming it so that I almost broke his eardrum if Percy and I didn't have our past. My father knew that Percy had left, and I raised his son for two years, not including the torturous nine months. He had to be scared for me. Percy could easily break my heart at any time again.

"Because, Annabeth, you're calling me 'Daddy'," he pointed out. Oh. Wow, I can be really stupid sometimes.

"Well, Dad, I will admit something did happen, yes," I tried to think of all the big words stored in my vocabulary so he may not quite understand.

"Annabeth, you're not pregnant again, are you?" his voice was dead serious.

"Dad, of course not!" I screamed, not thinking about it. I then walked to the nearest doorway, the kitchen, before Rachel could race to come up and ask what happened. Taking a breath, I continued, a little defensive this time.

"Dad, Percy proposed." Let me just say, it was a relief to get that all out. I was a tad bit angry that he thought I might be pregnant, but it was completely understandable.

"Sweetheart, that's wonderful," he told me. I let a smile cover my face, "But he already asked," well, now I'm a tad bit embarrassed, "Now, finally, just to be sure here, are you pregnant," I slapped the top of my head before continueing.

"Yes, Father Dear, I am not pregnant. Yes, I'm sure. No question. I am without a doubt not pregnant. Now, I better go," I cannot believe he thought I was pregnant, though I was the first time, but I was like twenty-six. Sorry. Ugh, Percy and I are more grown up. Fine, we are sleeping together, but not to such an extent my father needs to ask that.

"Congratulations, and I'll call to talk to Luke later, Annabeth," my dad told me before I hung up. Of course, he's going to call his grandson, not his daughter who's engaged. Oi. Oi is all I can say.

"You're dad thought you were pregnant?" Rachel walked in, slightly snickering. I would have thrown something at her, but all I could find would be things that would kill her. And I wasn't killing my Maid of Honor. Nope, that'd be her getting off easy.

"Shut up," I mumbled.

_**Percy:**_

I looked at Annabeth as she stared diligently at the blueprints in her home office. She didn't seem to notice me, and when I came in, Luke warned me that her friend had gone out of town leaving her to do his work and how she had bit her tongue repeatedly when talking about him. I knew from experience that she was trying not to cuss. Annabeth's eyebrows were knit in frustration.

Even though she looked slightly murderous, she was pretty. Her grey eyes were searching for any possible angle to fix whatever she was doing. Her titanium curls spilled into her eyes, but she was too busy to notice. Annabeth was off in what Rachel and I used to call 'Athena' land. All her siblings zone off when their thinking, just like her. Soon enough, I'll probably see Luke doing it as well.

Annabeth got up from her seat at the desk to look at something in the bookshelf, yes, I'll agree that she may have to many. She walked right passed me, but didn't notice me. Yup, 'Athena Land'. I walked up behind her hoping she wouldn't notice me. I wrapped my arms around her and I could feel her heartbeat speed up for a split second until she saw the scar on my hand from a swordfight. Her heartbeat slowed a little, but it didn't go back to normal.

"When'd you get here?" Annabeth smiled as she turned around to look at me.

"Are you saying I can't come and see my son and the woman I love? Harsh, don't you think?" I smiled. She pulled me down into a kiss.

"So, I told my dad," Annabeth looked like she was going to laugh.

"This'll be good," I smiled. Annabeth shook her head before looking back up at me. I tried to control the racing heartbeat.

"He asked me twice if I was pregnant," she couldn't stop laughing by now.

"Twice? He asked twice?" I made sure I had heard this right. I always thought Annabeth overreacted sometimes because she was just a girl, but from the sound of this, it's from her dad. Now, of course, I'm a little suspicious. Well, no, she's not pregnant. She wouldn't be laughing. She'd keep a serious face as she would tell me this, but you have to admit it makes you think.

"So, how's your mom?" she asked me. Compared to when I told her about this, she was_ calm _when I told her about Luke. I decided against saying that. Instead, I did what all guys do. I made it vague.

"She's pretty excited," I answered.

"We're really doing this, huh?" Annabeth looked happy as she asked me. So, I know she didn't mean it in the way of 'Maybe this is a mistake'. More like I'm so happy it hasn't set in yet. Even if she did say it the other way, I'd be in denial and say it was the second one. Instead of answering, I kissed her again.

"_Sponge-Bob Squarepants! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Sponge-Bob Squarepants!"_

"Ugh, Percy, would it be bad if I threw a shoe at his TV and break it again?" Annabeth whined.

"_Again?_" I raised an eyebrow. Actually, now that I think about it, it does sound very Annabeth. It also sounds like something I would do. Yeah, it sounds a whole lot like us. Annabeth avoided my question as she went to close the door to Luke's bedroom making the sounds of the shows a whole lot less loud. A moment later, Annabeth came back into the room.

"You broke the TV?" I asked with my arms crossed.

"Once. I broke it _once._ I was getting very tired of Sponge-Bob. Luke wasn't there, but I did throw my heel at the TV. It then broke. I hid the shoe, and Luke thought it just broke. I got him a new TV, and he forgot about it all," Annabeth shrugged.

"You bribed our son?" I asked with a grin. She groaned, as I had apparently noticed the hidden context.

"Yes, I bribed Luke," Annabeth's voice was small.

"And she's crossed over to the dark side," I smiled.

**Totally lame I know, but I have to work on my book. I just finished my research paper, and my friend is leaving tomorrow for England. And I don't know if he's coming back to our school next year or if he's moving. School is over in a few days. My mom is throwing at pool party at my house with all the kids I don't like from my class. After camp, my boy crazy friend is going with me to my family reunion, and my cousin is, well, kind of hot. So, that is going to a little hard. I might even be moving. I don't know. **

**Wish me luck. Ugh, I also just ended We All Grow Up. I'm a little broken hearted about that. **


	18. Chapter 18

_**Annabeth:**_

"You know that my rent won't be up for another two weeks. How about I just spend the night instead?" Percy smiled. I shook my head as I looked away from him and back to putting up the strewn books all over my floor from when Luke was searching for Junie B. Jones Bus Book or something and he wouldn't read anything else. So, now I'm stuck cleaning up the mess.

"Not happening. My dad's coming to town in two days, and I don't want Luke to accidentally tell him that you slept over. Sorry, Percy," I stuffed the Homer book into my bookshelf. I swear, I need to shift to Kindle. The only problem with that would be that neither I nor my son likes Kindle. It just isn't the same. I need the real pages or I would end up just getting very bored with it. I know it's stupid, but it happens to be true. I can promise you, I would rather have had all the books I read to plan Olympus online, not taking up space in my closet. Thinking back to Olympus, I felt great pride and a great need for a nap.

"You never told me your dad was coming to town," Percy tried to point out as he followed me into the hallway. This may sound insane, but he seemed even taller when he was in the hallway. I don't know why. Maybe it was the fact that he was in more contrast as the walls were yellow and made his black hair and green eyes shine out to where that was all you look at. Maybe it was just that he was six feet tall, and I try not to notice it too much.

"Remember when you were hiding my phone so I wouldn't answer the call because you thought I would end up on the phone for hours again?"

"Which time?" Percy smiled.

"Last week. Well, anyway, I took the phone as it ended up turning out being a wrong number. After, well you know what happened, I told you my dad was coming to town for three days to see Lucas," I shrugged.

"Oh right. Wait, how can you expect me to remember that after what happened?" Percy crossed his arms.

"Right before, you told me that your mom hopes that Luke could come over to see her more often," I smiled knowing I had won. Honestly, it wasn't that hard. I love Percy. I really do, but sometimes he just doesn't think. Then again, I missed a giant TV in my office when I had to look over a few things in more detail and my secretary surprised me. What? Luke had a bad nightmare and kept waking up crying. I was tired.

"How do you remember that?" Percy complained.

"Perce, if you're going to just stand there, you might as well help," I stuffed yet another book into the bookshelf. Who put that dang book somewhere other than his bookshelf? Whoever did it was an idiot. Wait, did I do it? I couldn't have. Okay, let's just go along with I didn't because I'm not an idiot. Deal?

"Or-"Percy got down on his knees to wrap his arms around my waist and kissed the nape of my neck.

"Not going for it," I warned him. He sighed before grabbing one of the books from the floor and trying to put it back in the bookshelf. I smiled. Don't you just love when the guy does what you ask? I just love it. I don't know why. I guess it's the 'Bossy Athena' in me, but it makes my day most of the time, especially when stubborn Percy does it. Luka isn't stupid enough to not do what I tell him as I'm his mother, but Percy doesn't feel quite the same way. Sometimes it's just a chore to get him to do what I say. He is so lucky I love him. Beyond lucky. If anyone else had gone off for two weeks to fall in love Calypso while I was worrying to death, they wouldn't have gotten off as easy as me just screaming at them for a while.

"How is your dad then?" Percy asked, obviously not really wanting to go along with the labor I was making him go through. Hey, he made me go through childbirth. He will be forever in my dept. Percy should just get used to it. This isn't stopping anytime soon.

"He's a little scared for all this, but he seems happy because this'll be good for Lucas," I shrugged. I wished my father would stop with his worrying. If Percy breaks my heart again, I'll break his neck. Besides, I love him, and he loves me. I know that we've had a complicated past, but that doesn't matter. We were young and stupid. Besides, technically, yes I'm actually admitting this so take account, it was my fault. I'm the one who kept us apart. I could have begged him to stay. I could have told him I was pregnant. Actually, from what Percy told me, I could have even waited to read the letter the next morning, and everything would be different. Yes, Percy could have done some things differently as well, but I could have done one dang thing. He, well, he could have done one thing differently, too, but… ugh! Stop trying to prove my point wrong!

"If we ever get anything actually ready other than the date," Percy mumbled. I would have smacked him upside the head with a book, preferably something large, had I not known that Luka was trying to get to sleep upstairs, and he likes to come down to 'get a glass of water'. If he's coming down for water, then I do my makeup 'for fun'. Well, at least I know it is definitely my son. Now, back to the day. It took me weeks just to get that. Percy should stop complaining. I know he would prefer to just get married without all the fuss of the wedding. To tell you the truth, I kind of prefer it as well, but we can't actually do it. If we did, Rachel would kill me. Even my dad wants to give his daughter away at a big ceremony. That just isn't me. I barely even have time to plan a wedding. I have a business to run, a son to raise, a house to keep, and a fiancé who I keep thinking about and end up getting sidetracked when trying to everything else. Percy has been sort of open to the fact that he wants the marriage, not the wedding. I get it. I really do, but again, he made me go through labor. I didn't want all that pain. He doesn't want to get up infront of a crowd just to say 'I do'. I still did it, and he still has to do it.

"Stop complaining, Perseus," I crammed a book deeper into a bookshelf so I could stop myself from hitting Percy upside the head with it. What? It's better to keep the temptation away than to just withstand it. I could withstand it, but it tends to work best when you just keep away from it all together. Don't you agree?

"I'm not complaining. I'm just… expressing my feelings toward the difficulties we are facing," Percy tried hoping I'd just give up. As if.

"That's complaining," I pointed out. I have to agree though. We have had our fair share of difficulties. First, Rachel had to organize just who we could ask to be a bridesmaid as some would decline if they were going to be bridesmaids with someone that they hated. That in itself took two days, and it took five just to track them all down to ask. Then I had to pick out the perfect wedding planner as I so did not have time for all that, and with all that took, I could have just planned the wedding then. Rachel and I spent two hours setting the time to go pick out a dress, and we spent four deciding on a time that worked for everyone for the bridesmaid dresses. Then of course, I still had to manage to find time to take Luke to the movie he has been dying to see.

And Percy thinks I've been just putting it all off. Humph. You work so hard, and he doesn't even notice.

"So why is your dad really coming?" Percy asked. I had been asking myself the very same question. Why was he coming? My father didn't have time to just pack up and come to New York for three days, and it cant be because he needs to see Luke as they Skype almost every day. The only explanation I can ever come up with would be the wedding, and it's not until April, which happens to be around eight months away. So, unless something terrible has happened to my half-brothers, which I know hasn't happened because I talk to them once a week, or my step-mother is forcing him to stop by, my father has gone insane.

"How would I know? He told me he was missing me and Luke, but we talk to him so much I highly doubt that's it. Maybe he just wants to check up on you or something. You know my father and I aren't the best at talking. He could be doing anything," I shrugged.

"Why are the Chase's so tricky?" Percy smiled. I playfully swatted his arm before getting up of the floor as I had finally managed to get every last book in the correct place, and tomorrow Luke is probably going to undo it all again. Happy day.

"Oh, and the Jackson's aren't?" I smiled. He contemplated that as he knew all the times he had tricked people, including his soon-to-be wife. I like how that sounds. Don't you? 'Wife'. It has a nice ring to it.

"Very true. Very true," Percy got up from the floor, probably in hopes that I wouldn't make him do anything else while he was still here.

"It's getting late. You better get going," I warned him as I looked at my watch. It was eleven thirty, and it would take him awhile to get home. By the time he would get home,it would be midnight.

"Will you stop with the bad news already?" Percy playfully complained as he wrapped his arms around me in an embrace. I knew what he was up to, but I could reprimand him later.

"I'm a mom. It's kind of my job," I smiled. His sea green eyes twinkled, making it harder to make him leave. Oh, he's good.

"Well, I'm the dad. What would my job be?" Percy complained.

"Hmm, let me see. The mom is first picked when something goes wrong. The mom is the baker, even if can't bake. I'm pretty sure that the dad gets the puberty talk with a son. Oh, he also gets usually being the fun parent. Both of which you are definitely getting," I answered. What? There is absolutely no way I am having 'the talk'. Percy got me pregnant with our son. He tells our son about that.

"Let me get this straight. I have to give _the talk_, and I don't get to stay over. Uh-uh. That is so not fair," Percy complained, tightening his grip around me. I snapped myself out of it, knowing I needed to wiggle free of his grasp right then or he would end up staying. It took every last bit of willpower I possessed to do so. Fine, I caved in a little bit by kissing, fine making out, him for a little while, fine it was for a long time. Stop with the technicalities already!

I finally pushed him off of me when I realized that I had already kicked off my heels. At first, he looked at me bewildered. Then he remembered how I didn't want to allow him to stay. He chuckled to himself as he looked down for a second. I found myself biting my lip to keep my mind off of him enough and what we almost did, not that it truly helped because he was standing only about two inches away from me.

"Fine, I'll stop trying. Just let me kiss you goodnight," Percy tried to reason. I took a deep breath and mumbled 'Fine'. For a kiss not wanted, it was amazing. Truthfully, for _any_ kiss, it was amazing. It was soft like a whisper, and it was sweeter than a box of chocolates. The best way to describe it would be that it was like our third kiss. In case you don't know which one that happens to be, let me explain.

_For once in our lives, we were free from worry and pressure. Well, almost. There was still one thing that we were being pressured about and worried to death about, and that would be us. So, I finally realized that I didn't love Luke like I thought I did, and everything I had never really thought about was becoming clear. _

_When I found out about Luke being evil, whose side did I take? If I had loved Luke, I would have taken his side, but I didn't. I took Percy's. _

_I ignored how my mother hated Percy, even though her opinion used to be the most important thing to me. For crying out, she was the Goddess of Wisdom!_

_I took Percy's advice to see my dad when I would have never done it if anyone else had asked, and I kept in touch as much as I could_

_Even though I hated Cyclops, I put up with and became friends with one for Percy_

_I gave up CeCe's offer to follow my dreams as long as I left Percy_

_I trusted him with my life_

_I let Rachel lead _my quest

_I became irritable when he even mentioned her name_

_I let him get off easy with the whole 'Calypso' thing by just screaming_

_But now it was over, and I knew I loved him. So, I kissed him, making our second kiss. Then I was nervous as Hades. Then they threw us in the lake, and we actually kissed. Sure, we kissed the first two times, but this was a real kiss. We weren't scared or nervous. I didn't think I was about to lose him._

I would have stayed there forever if Percy hadn't pulled up. I looked up into his sparkling green eyes. I didn't trust my voice to say a word. Instead, I just looked at him as even he seemed mesmerized when he was looking into my grey eyes.

"I love you, Annie," Percy didn't take his eyes off me as he whispered softly. I knew he had to leave, but I didn't want him to. Ugh, would it be terrible if I just went to the courthouse already? Ugh, I'm not sure I can handle waiting eight months to marry my Seaweed Brain.

"I love you, too," it was so natural to say that I didn't notice I had. I felt soft and weak, and I was hating every minute of it.

"I better get going, Anna," Percy warned me. I nodded.

Percy:

So, I know we can't elope, but it seems so great. I'm pretty sure I'll go crazy without her. It sounds insane as all a marriage honestly is would be a document, but it's not just that. I don't know how to describe it. I want for Luke to come in our room crying from a nightmare. I want to get up insanely early on mother's day for Annabeth. I want to be responsible for remembering our anniversary, even though I'll probably forget. I even want to have another Luke or maybe a Lucy. Good luck getting Annabeth on board with that.

Now, why the Hades did her dad want to come to New York for a few days?

I know that soon enough I'll be seeing him all the time as him becoming my father-in-law, but it still shook me to the core. Did it have to do with me? I did everything right, didn't i? I asked for his permission to propose. Annabeth was not pregnant, thank you very much, my dear trusting father-in-law. I am being a good father to Luke. God, what else do I do?

I shook off the thought as I ran a towel through my wet hair. I looked back at my watch. Ten till two. Annabeth and her father are going to see some play, The Venice Merchant, I believe. So, Luke is coming over here to watch 'The Spongebob Movie' for the millionth time as he isn't feeling good. Annabeth says it's probably just a virus. I personally think it would be the candy his grandfather gave him to bribe information about me and Annabeth. Or at least, Luke told me it was the candy he ate when he and his grandfather were talking last night. He just didn't mention what they were talking about, but what else would they be talking about at two in the morning?

I hate this situation. I hate the fact that for the next month I'm stuck with this whole partial custody of my son. If given the choice, I would move out of here and in with Annabeth this very second, but I can't. I have to stay here. I wanted to scowl at this place. It's insane, but every time I'm here I think of Sarah and how oblivious I was. I now try to stay as far away from here as I can because I'd rather not think of that-

I was cut off by the knocking at the door. I didn't know who was dropping Luke off, but I knew to be scared. I opened the door to see who else but the man I had a very deep fear of, Mr. Chase. His blonde hair was greying, and his brown eyes had gone serious as if I was a failing student he was about to approach. Every fear of any teacher I ever had manifested in him. I felt my stomach flip, and I started to wonder how he acted towards Luke. He couldn't be this scary. Luke loves him too much.

"Daddy," Luke ran to hug me. I hugged the two year old in hopes Mr. Chase's eyes would softened.

"Luka, I missed you so much," sure it had been only around a day, but I still missed my son. I missed my son when I wasn't within a mile of him.

"I missed you, too, Daddy," Luke smiled. I looked up at Mr. Chase as he mouthed 'Talk'.

"Hey, Lucas, why don't you go get the popcorn out while I talk to Grandfather," I smiled at Lucas. Luke nodded before doing as I asked.

"Percy we need to talk."

**Hey, I wanted to get it posted on my B-DAY. So, here it is. I am now 12! I will finish this scene in the next chapter. I'll be a little busy with my book. The youngest royalty paid author to be published was 14 when they got published. I am trying to beat that out. So, wish me luck.**


	19. Chapter 19

**_Dresses: on my profile. woudlnt work on the story_**

_**Percy:**_

"Let me get this straight. You flew across the country for three days and lied to your daughter because you thought I was going to leave the woman I just proposed to?" I asked. Mr. Chase looked at me as if he couldn't see the ridiculous part of what I just said. Wow, the seriousness is hereditary. No wonder Annabeth ran away. It had to be torturous.

"Percy, you and Annabeth have a complicated past, and you are making a very big step. I'm trying to look out for my daughter and grandson," Fredrick told me. Is it wrong that I really wanted to punch him? Well, if he had said it to you, you would punch him. Does everyone think I'm an idiot? Sure, I have my moments, but I'm not dumb. I know what it means to get married and raise a child. I get it, and I think they're all forgetting I wasn't pressured into this. I was given a choice.

"Mr. Chase, Sir, I get why you're upset, but I think you're forgetting that I wasn't pressured into it. I wasn't forced to come here for Luke, and I wasn't forced to be with Annabeth. It was my choice, and I think I know what I want." Well, I tried. I know I didn't too well, but I was trying to not sound ungrateful for his advice, even though I was ungrateful, and disrespectful. Considering I cut of stabbed him with a nearby knife, I think this went pretty well.

"Daddy," Luke walked in clutching a blanket and Wabbie. I am really starting to like when he does this. Hmm, would he tell Annabeth if I gave him green jelly beans? They are his favorite, and I think I could coax him into not telling. It shouldn't be too hard. Wait, did I order the pizza yet? Oh right, three pizza places think I'm crazy because I asked for the pepperonis to be dyed green. Did I mention he loved green to such an extent that everything had to be green just as I had loved blue? I'm pretty sure I did.

"Hey, isn't the show starting soon?" I asked, yet again trying not to seem disrespectful even though I really wanted him to leave. Mr. Chase looked down at his watch and nodded. Wow, this is really working for me. I should have used this before.

"I better get going. Percy, just think about it," he told me. Sure. That'll happen. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I didn't dare. I've had enough. I tried not to think about it as he finally left. I couldn't hold back a smile, and I knew Luke noticed it. So, I directed my attention on him.

"Who wants green jelly beans?" I smiled. Fine, he'll tell Annabeth, and Annabeth will get mad at me for giving him a sugar rush. Then, we'll fight for a little bit. After that, we make up, and we're better than ever. Yeah, we've been through this a lot. I just can't help myself. I like to give the kid candy. Is that really my problem? It's just my nature. I can't help but give into those sea green eyes. They are _my_ eyes, too, you know.

Luke smiled that two year old smile that is just so cute. I couldn't help but wonder what he had been like as a newborn. He barely cries and seems to be a good boy. Annabeth says that the newborn times are just hard to describe, and I understand in a way. I just wish I could have been there. Maybe it's just me.

"Now, Luke, don't tell Mommy," I told him. He nodded his head, and I started to wonder how I ever survived without him. I had to be so boring. Now, I can't imagine life without him. What would I do? I don't even know what would have happened with me and Annabeth. Without a son, she could have gotten married or something. I could be lonely or worse. I could be with Sarah. Well, she was kind of pretty.

All right, nope. If Annabeth _ever_, I repeat _ever_, hears about this, I swear…

You know what? Let's not even go there. I'm just going to try and stay happy for Luke. Wait, what are we talking about again? Hmm, anyway.

_**Annabeth:**_

"So, how was the show?" Rachel asked me. I shrugged. It was what it was. I never really liked it too much, but I liked spending time with my father.

"It was okay. Can you zip me up?" I asked. Rachel got up from her posh red seat and zipped up the dress.

"Wow, Momma look hot," Rachel smiled. I playfully slapped her hand that was on my shoulder.

"Seriously, Rach, what you think?" I asked as I ran my hand over the waist. I don't like to say this much, but Rachel was right. This dress really is great. The white tissue fabric hugged my every curve. The tissue was wrapped at the top and billowed to the side where it led off into a straight ending of the dress. A strip of the tissue was wrapped around my waist to make a bow at my side.

"It's great, Annie, but this isn't my wedding. It's all your choice," Rachel told me. Wedding dress. I'm picking out my wedding dress. I can't believe it. I'm getting married.

"Where's the next dress?" I asked Rachel. Rachel handed me a hanger. I decided against looking at the dress before trying it on as I walked back into the changing room. It never works out for me when I do that as I did that with my prom dress. It was the perfect dress, but it was made for a girl with an insanely flat chest. So, I was heartbroken. I'm not doing that again.

So, I unzipped the plastic wrap above the dress. It didn't seem like me, but neither did the white dress I wore to the reunion. I ended up loving that dress. I might as well try this one. I slipped out of the first dress and placed it back in its plastic. Unzipping the fabric of the other, I forced myself into the dress. I then looked at it. Ruffles were formed at the top with a band wrapping around it. One of the ruffles fell over to where the dress split to reveal even more rose-like ruffles. For time's sake, this dress will be called 'Ruffle Dress'. I think it sums it up pretty well.

I walked out of room to where Rachel stood. We didn't say a word as she zipped up the dress. Rachel and I had gone to about four stores already, and this is the last one we'll have time to go to as we both need to get back to work.

"It's definitely interesting," Rachel smiled as if she was going to laugh. I wanted to stomp on her toe, but I decided against it. I had already stepped on her toe about four times this morning. Besides, we were both wearing heels. It just doesn't work out when that happens. Instead, I just looked at the reflection in front of me. My long blond hair was spilling down onto my back that seemed to help hide some of the extra ruffles.

"Okay, there is absolutely no way I can see this as the dress at all. Hand me the next one," I felt like almost begging. Rachel let out a little laugh as she handed me the next one. This one better be good because if I get stuck with another one like this I'm leaving. All right, that might be a little over done, but I really don't have time for all this. I took off the morning to go dress shopping with Rachel thinking it wouldn't take too long. I have to be there in about an hour and a half, and Rachel and I still need to get lunch.

The dress I admit was kind of pretty. A transparent lace wrapped over one side of a white bodice where it led off into A-line skirt with tissue organza. The strapless sweetheart neckline didn't irritate my skin as most dresses with the lace so near to my skin would. It looked modern with the twist of traditional that I loved. I clutched the bodice before walking out to where Rachel could zip up the dress.

"Annie, you look great," Rachel smiled. I twirled around in the dress to see it. Swirling organza whipped around me. I really liked this dress, but is it the one? For crying out loud, it took us about eighteen years from the time we met to him proposing. It'll probably take me just as long to finally choose somewhere to get married or what to wear. Cautiously, I looked back down at my watch.

"Help me out of this. We need to get going," I warned even though I knew I was really just trying to get out of choosing. I love Percy. I really do, but the thought of giving yourself to a bound sign of eternal love to be with the other is still frightening. Well, that and the fact he wants more children. Of course, I want another child, but I don't think that right now is the time. I know he wants to make up for the time he missed during my pregnancy with Luke, but I don't think that we should really head back into those hormonal nine months. And don't even get me started on the cravings.

"Which one is it then?" Rachel smiled.

**IT'S BEYOND TERRIBLE I KNOW. I'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY. I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WARN YOU THAT I'M GOING TO CAMP JUNE 13****th**** for a week. Then I'm going to a family reunion for a week and will be helping with my baby cousin. Then I have golf day camp. Of course, I have other stories and a book to write. So, it could be awhile until I get back to this. Of course, I am terrible at describing dresses. So, the links should be at the top. If my computer messes up and doesn't do it again, please tell me so I can fix it. **


	20. Chapter 20

_**Annabeth:**_

"So, the wedding's soon, huh?" Percy asked me. I nodded. Almost everything was done. Almost. It took me forever, but I picked the perfect dress. Or at least I think I have the perfect dress. The venue has been booked, and the caterer only needs a final say. Now, all the business is done, and all that's left is the nerves.

"If you count three months soon, then yes," I continued to just look down at the notebook Rachel put together. Anything having to do with the wedding was slid into the binder. Even the dresses for the bridesmaids were taken with each girl. So, I have four pictures of women in a simple black dress. By the way, do you have any idea how hard it was to pick out a dress for that dang flower girl? Oh my gods, it was so pathetic. I don't think I will ever spend that much time shopping for a dress again unless of course I go along with Percy not only wanting another child but a girl.

"Nervous?" he tried to make it sound like a question, but we all knew it was a statement. Even Luke seemed a little nervous, but I think he's nervous about the prospect of a young sibling just as I am. Seriously, what ever happened to the stereotypical guys who are scared of the idea of children? I think I could handle having a little bit of that, but no. I was given the family-oriented husband-to-be who is completely oblivious and wants more children. I would love to have another child, but Percy was an only child and didn't have to see his mom have another child after a new marriage. Another child alone would cause there to be unequal attention to each other, but a child after a new marriage adds to that. It's insane, but I saw firsthand what happens. The child is sort of seen as the person you just married, and considering you just married them, you love them dearly. You can't help it. It's just a force of nature. It wasn't just my dad. It happened to a lot of my divorced and remarried friends. They don't mean to, and they feel terrible about it once the new stage of the baby wears off. I know that I can hope I'll be a better parent then that, but I don't want to take the chance. Plus, I really don't want to go through the whole pregnancy thing again. It isn't exactly the happiest time where the mom-to-be is picking out things for the bundle of joy to come and the daddy-to-be is building things in which everyone happily looks at with a sweet smile. Actually, more like one minute I could be the happiest person in the world to the most annoying woman you've ever met. Don't even get me started on the cravings. I mean, ugh, it was just… and the weight gain. I finally lost it all. I don't want to gain it again.

"You?" I finally gave up on the binder and turned over in bed to look over at him. He also put back whatever he was reading though I have no idea what on earth he was reading. He hadn't been here long. Actually, he was still in the process of moving in. We have about seven more boxes to unpack, and, considering Luke hates unpacking, I had him spend the night with Sally as they both have been wanting to. It was so quiet without Luke. There's no Bubble Guppies, no kid's music, and no books strewn everywhere. It felt so… weird. I didn't like it one bit. I miss my crazy, water-obsessed, smart toddler.

"Little bit I guess," Percy shrugged while taking my hand. Part of me wondered if he was just doing that to see if I was wearing the ring. I took it off once so I wouldn't lose it as I was running all over the house looking all over for a blue print. After that, he got a little nervous, and I think he has been secretly checking for the last few days since. Seriously, he freaks out too much.

"We only have two more months," I tried not to sound as jittery as I was truly feeling. I can't be the only one who thinks that it is a little strange that all it took for my life to turn upside down took less than an hour for Percy to say. Two more months. Wow, that's seriously it. It's hard to imagine being married in less than a year, but only in two months? It's a little hard to take in honestly.

"Two months," Percy smiled. Wow, he had a really cute smile. I haven't noticed it in a while, but it's true. God, how does he manage to look so young? He's twenty-nine and has the body of a twenty-five year old. I'm not even so sure if he looked this good when we were in college. Seriously, I look a little younger than my true age, but I don't look like that. I can assure you, I would love to. There's no question about that. Wait, why am I talking about how hot he is? Hmm, I can't remember.

"What time is Luke getting back?" Percy asked me. I tried not to answer quickly as I had memorized the time for dear life.

"I'm pretty sure he'll be back tomorrow at two," I again tried to be nonchalant though I am pretty sure Percy didn't buy it. Well, it took him long enough. I was starting to think I would be able to lie to him forever and he would always buy it. It'd be a lie to say I wasn't thrilled at the thought. I don't like to lie, but when I do, I want people to buy it.

"Annabeth, he'll be fine. Relax. I know it's hard for you, but you need to learn to step back and take a breath," Percy told me. After that, I really wanted to hit him, like _really_ wanted to hit him. Instead, I just glared at him and watched his eyes fill with fear.

"I'm just going to go to bed. Let's just let this all go. I said nothing. I'm just going to… yeah," Percy nervously told me. I nodded and followed the example by trying to sleep as well. Percy can be so stupid sometimes.

**Percy:**

"Luke, it's freezing outside. Why don't you want to wear the coat?" I asked.

"It's not cold," Luke crossed his arms and looked at me with those stubborn green eyes. Sudden chills went down my spine. Wow. This feels really familiar, except I think I was on the other side. It was a cold January day, and Annabeth said it would be best if we went to the aquarium today as to avoid Rachel when she's in wedding-planner mode. I was wearing a coat, and Luke even saw his mom wearing a sweater even though she isn't leaving with us. You'd think he would understand that it's cold as it's snowing, but he doesn't think that. So, I've had to spend the last fifteen minutes trying to coax him into the dang coat.

"What's wrong, guys?" Annabeth walked in with a cup of either tea or coffee. Knowing her, it could be either. Part of me hated how great she looks in grey. Seriously, she's the only one who can honestly look good in it. Whenever I see anyone else in it, it seems dull, but not when she wears it.

"Luke will not put on his coat even though it's snowing," I told her exasperated. Annabeth just rolled her eyes before setting down her coffee cup and taking Luke's little toddler hand and opening the door. Being lead through the door, Luke started to shiver.

"I-I'm fuh-fine, Muh-mommy," Luke's teeth chattered, and Annabeth looked back down at him.

"Alright, Darling, let's get going then. Come on, Sweetie. Let's go for a quick walk before Aunt Rachel gets here?" Annabeth smiled before closing the door behind her. It only took about fifteen seconds before a toddler ran back through the door snapping the blue winter coat out of my hands with a smiling Annabeth in the open doorway.

"How did you do that?" I asked astonished. How did I not think of this?

"I did the same thing with Malcolm when he was he wasn't afraid of the forest back when we were kids," Annabeth shrugged.

**Well, I got it done. I'm about to start packing for camp :[, but my best friend who's supposed to be claiming our bunk because I always over pack and it takes me awhile to lug everything hasn't called me when she usually calls me seventeen times a day. I'm a little worried, but anyway. It'll be about one week to two weeks until I publish next. Of course, I'll be with my mom, and she thinks that Fanfiction is a waste of my time. She says that anyone could change a few names and stuff to publish it as her own. I know it's true, but still. I need this. Percy Jackson was the reason I started writing. **

**Also, I am searching for TOP OF THE FUED CHAIN by Lisi Harrison. I used to love all of her writing. It was amazing in my opinion, but I've bought THE GHOUL NEXT DOOR when it came out and didn't want to finish it. I just stopped liking. I guess I grew out of it, but I loved the Alpha series. I read every clique book, and this is the last Alpha. I might as well just read this. It came out months ago, but I ended my PICK-A-POPPY membership. So, I didn't know. I looked at BOOKS-A-MILLION, but of course they didn't have it. I won't be able to get to any other book store until my family reunion, and they probably wont let me go as they don't want me spending all my time with a book.**

**But seriously, my friend who was going backed out. My cousin is bringing a friend. My other distant cousin, technically by marriage, is going to be taking care of Sadie, her new step-sister. The fifteen year old guy skipped out on us. My other cousins are in their late twenties. I'll be needing something to do. **


	21. Chapter 21

_**Have you heard of the big fires where there have been 150 fires? Well, there may be more, but I live there. I dont know if you have heard of it, but when i was in south carolina for my family reunion, it was on the news. So, i dont know, but the smoke is making me sick. My head is killing me and I'm really tired. I just got back from SC. So, this all may get better, but idk. When I dont feel good, my writing isnt as good.**_

_**Annabeth:**_

"Ow, Rachel, owww!" I screeched, but Rachel pressed on until she had forced my foot into a tiny white high heel shoe that seemed about four inches high. I could have killed Rachel right then. As if I didn't have enough on my plate. It was a week until my wedding, and my husband-to-be was off on a business meeting, leaving me to plan the event and raise our two year old son. Do you have any idea how hard it was to take care of him alone? Now, I have to keep up on work, make sure Lucas stays out of trouble, and keep a watchful eye on Rachel so she won't do anything drastic. The wedding was set to take place at the beach Percy and his mother used to frequent when he was a kid. It was there that they escaped Gabe, and they've been going ever since. A lot has happened there, including Rachel kissing Percy before he went off to fight with Beckendorf. Of course, we're all pretending that never happened, and we're doing pretty dang well if I do say so myself. I started to regret moving this shoe choosing to today. I had thought that I wanted to have as much time with Thalia as she was coming to town tomorrow. Artemis let her take a break from the hunt to join me on my wedding day, even if she didn't believe in marriage. I've been looking towards seeing her for months. I haven't seen her since Luke was about one. Artemis didn't approve of my child and tried to keep Thalia away. It's actually kind of nice being with Thalia. Sure, she doesn't understand when I want love advice, but she's perfect when I want to complain about Percy .The hunt also made her mature. So, she's still great company even though I am thirty or so. Thalia doesn't believe in the whole immortality means stays the same age. She counts herself as thirty-three year old in a sixteen year old's body. I have always loved that about her, but I still envy it. I'll go on to die, and eventually even my son will die. His children will die, and their children will die. But Thalia will always be there. Eons from now, she'll still be here, and I won't.

Great, now I'm depressed.

"Okay, now, Annabeth, try to walk in those without tripping," Rachel watched me with a hesitant glance. I wanted to yell that she needs to be more trusting, but I didn't trust myself either. I bit my lip as I looked down at the heel. I couldn't believe that Rachel expected me to wear these without breaking my leg, but I had to try. If I was already on a strict diet to fit into my wedding dress, I could handle all this. I haven't even told Percy about how frustrating it was because I wasn't about to tell him that I barely fit in my dress. I've been so bloated in the last week. It's only my luck that I've been like this the week before my wedding. And, of course as my luck tries to make everything harder on me, I'm starting to have a serious craving for sweet and sour chicken. I don't know why, but I do. This all reminds me a little of when I was-

"Annabeth, how do you walk that easily?" Rachel stopped me from finishing that thought. Brushing it off, I looked down at my feet to notice that I had walked about fifteen feet without thinking about it. Now that I am thinking about it, I felt my balance start to slip away. Regaining as much as I could, I started to walk over to the chair where I could safely sit down without getting hurt.

Thankful, I prayed a thankful to just about any god I could think of, especially Aphrodite as shoes were her domain. Afterwards, I could have killed Rachel, but she didn't seem to notice. Instead, she walked away to find a better pair of shoes while I was stuck figuring out how to unstrap all those strappy things on my shoe. It may seem easy, but it is far from easy. I'm Athena's daughter, and it still took me about ten minutes. Let me tell you, that says something. By the time the accursed shoes were off, Rachel had returned with even more shoes. From what I could tell, she grabbed just about every shoe in my size.

"Rachel, I told you. I'll just wear those white heels from the Reunion. No one will even see them. So, it'll be fine. Now, can we get some food? I'm starving," I said the same thing I had told her just about fourteen times. Rachel looked down at the shoes in her arms longingly before dropping them all together. Any other day, I would have put those all up. But today wasn't any other day. So, we left.

**WWWWWWWW [as in 'wedding']**

"When's Percy getting back?" Rachel asked me as she bit into her stir fried vegetables. It had been about thirty minutes since the shoe incident, and we decided to get something at the food court while we were there. I, of course, insisted on Chinese, and she didn't much care. I found myself long for Percy as she asked me that question. We hadn't had much time together for the last two months. Everyone tells me that once the wedding is over, you have a lot of time together, but it doesn't change the fact that I miss being with him. We're supposed to be together during the planning of the wedding, but we're the farthest we've been in a long time. It doesn't feel right. I should be with him more than ever, you know. I don't know. I guess I'm just a little nervous about the wedding, but is this how the marriage will be from now on?

"Four days. He'll just barely make the wedding," I shrugged as if I really didn't care, though I did. I missed him like a heartbeat. Did he have to go on a five day business meeting now? Couldn't he have waited until we were back from our honeymoon? That could have been very helpful. I pushed off everything with work until I got back to work right after our honeymoon. He really should have done the same. It would have made a lot of things easier, but no. Percy, being the cluelessness he always is, made things harder.

"He's such a seaweed brain," Rachel smiled. Back when we were younger, I had always called him that. At first, it was truly an insult, but it became a pet name. Even at graduation where we went to the top of the empire state building and told each other that we loved one another, I called him my seaweed brain. We've all gotten used to it. We grew up calling each other names and teasing one another. We don't know much different. Now, as you know, Rachel and I used to fight for his affection. Rachel used to think I was being mean when I said that. So, she never called him that. She used it as either mocking me or joking. I used to hate when she said it, but I couldn't help but want to laugh when she said it now. Looking at us now, I never would have thought we had hated each other. Ever since Percy's sixteenth birthday, we've been best friends, and they've been pretty close from what I could tell, too. Some of my friends from work said I needed to watch out with how close they are. I almost laughed at the concept. But for them, I said I would. Humans can be so strange sometimes.

"So, how's work?" I asked as I dipped the chicken into the sweet and sour sauce. Rachel shrugged. We hadn't done this in a while. Rachel usually just talked about the wedding when we were together. I've missed being able to just sit down and talk about everything.

"Tiring, I suppose. I found a new half-blood and sent him over to Camp. Summer's coming up. So, I have to stick around Camp until summer is over. As usual, they'll make me just sit around until something goes wrong. Then they'll crowd around me until I can barely breathe. Same old, same old," Rachel shrugged. I had seen how everyone had treated her in the past. We used to include her in everything we did as she was like a camper to us, but that was back when she was fifteen. Now, she's about thirty and, in their eyes, boring. I had never truly asked how that was. I felt an unbearable guilt smother me. I've really been a terrible friend recently. I can't wait until the wedding is over. I knew I should have just eloped with Percy.

"I couldn't handle being the oracle," I told her with a small smile. Rachel's smile was a bit bigger, but it didn't matter.

"It really isn't that hard. It was my choice and everything, but part of me still wonders what it would have been like if I hadn't. I probably would have a family by now… But that doesn't matter. This is what being the oracle is all about. Never falling in love. Never having kids. Never even ditching this stupid ring. Giving up your life to help the gods and their children," Rachel stared down at the salad as if she had suddenly lost her appetite.

"That's braver than anything I've ever done. You gave up yourself to help everyone. That's just amazing. I could never have done that. Without you, the Oracle would be lost. We'd have to go around blind, not knowing if we were even on a true quest. Rachel, I'm sorry for all those things I did to you all those years ago. I just thought…" I looked down feeling guilty for what I had done to her.

"He was worth it, wasn't he, Annabeth? I did some pretty awful things. Actually, I did worse. You may have done mean things directly to me, but I was just so devious. I used to say terrible things to Percy to make him hate you. If I hadn't done that, a lot of things would be different, for everyone. Who knows? I could be the reason someone is dead," Rachel's eyes watered.

"Sweetie," my eyes watered. Well, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who's emotional recently.

**Short? Weird? All of the above? Maybe, but, in a few chapters, you'll look back on some things and it'll all make sense. I promise. Now, have you heard 'Happy Ending' by Avril? I was listening to it while I was thinking about Annabeth and Luke [not the son, the original], and it is so similar to that. Seriously, play it while thinking about everything that happened with them, and don't just think about how he was evil. Think about what made him like that. I hate when people hate him so much. He went through a lot. He was born into a world where you had to prove yourself to even get the slightest attention from your parents. His mother was crazy, and he felt like some big mistake. Then he met Thalia, and she made him feel important. Annabeth just added to that feeling. Then he had to watch Thalia die, and it was all the gods fault. He knew that, and he was given a choice to bring them down just like they killed Thalia. It may have not been the right decision, but he took it. Now that I'm done with my little lecture, you don't have to read the next paragraph. I'm just sort of asking for advice.**

**So, I just got back from my family reunion, and my second cousin, Tom, just remarried to a woman with two children. Her daughter and I got along instantly. So, I saw her as more than just my friend, but as my cousin because she technically is. Then my other cousin, Kelly, met her, and I could tell they fell head over heels for each other right then. I don't know why but it made me uncomfortable. Ella asked me to come along because she felt uncomfortable sometimes, and I did. We got along great, like a group of friends. But there were moments where I felt like the third wheel. My mom thinks I was being jealous, but it was weird. I'm not jealous of them. Congratulations on their new flame, but I… I don't know. I kept in touch with Ella, and I helped Kelly keep in touch with her, too. But you know when you have a group of friends and two fall for each other? It makes you feel left out in a way. Part of me knows that it's not illegal or anything, but they're my cousins. Kelly and I are like brother and sister. He's the closest thing I have to a brother. It's hard to imagine she would fall for him and everything. It was just so awkward, and we're all going to get together again. It'll be awkward again, but I don't want it to be. I liked it better when we were all like a big family, not crushes. I don't know. I spent one day with Kelly alone, and he was awesome. I understand why she would like him, but he's like my older brother. We tease and fight. I see him as the guy who loves to play music, used to be a player, loves the water as if he were Percy, and can make just about anything funny. She sees the same, but in a different way. Does this even make sense? I don't know. **


	22. Wedding

_**Annabeth:**_

I clutched the lace bodice as the zipper pulled it all together, making me smile as I now fit into the wedding dress. I even saw Thalia smile though she was wearing a matching pale blue dress that three other girls were wearing. Sure, I really don't want to wear this for the next three hours or so, but it still made me smile that I could.

"You look beautiful, Annabeth," Thalia told me. I could see her look at me one more time in the mirror. I couldn't tell the look in her eyes. It was like the look in Luke's eyes whenever Luke watched his Grandfather leave after visiting combined with how Percy's mom looked at him when we both graduated high school. I cant think of the words, but I'm pretty sure you understand what I'm saying.

"Thanks, Thal," I felt tears about to come on, but I stopped them. I just spent an hour sitting in an uncomfortable chair watching as women covered my face in makeup, and that was supposed to be the natural look. I cant imagine how long I could have spent there. Anyway, if there was anything I wasn't going to do, it would be ruining the makeup and forcing myself into a position where I must do it all again. I can assure you, there is no way I would ever do that. I just looked at myself instead. My hair had been transformed to look like a blonde Jessica Rabbit's hairdo. I had chosen the second dress I had tried on. The lace overlaying the A-line skirt brought contrast to my intimidating grey eyes. I looked like I had always wanted to on my wedding day, but it didn't stop the nervousness. I was given the chance to eat this morning, but I was too nervous to eat more than a bite. Now, I could have eaten a feast.

"You okay?" Thalia asked me. I turned around to look at her, my skirt making a swishing sound as all of the fabric moved along with me. I nervously fingered the silver locket around my neck as I looked at her. It wasn't fair how beautiful she looked. Her short black hair had grown a lot since she joined the Hunters. Her hair now met the middle of her back and had been fashioned into waves instead of the ponytail she usually wore while on the hunt. She wore a similar locket around her neck, and I knew that a picture of her with Luke [the first not my son] was on one side. The other held a picture of all three of us. Besides her, I was the only one who knew about the pictures. Thalia hadn't taken it off other than to repair it when it got broken or something. So, no one had seen inside, especially not Artemis. Her electrifying blue eyes were brought out by the bridesmaid dress. For the event, she had taken out the nose stud. Don't get me started on that one.

"I'm just nervous," I waited a second to continue, "Do you think I'm making the right choice?"

Thalia seemed caught off guard by the question as was I. I knew it probably wasn't the best choice to ask an Artemis Hunter if I made the right choice to get married if she doesn't believe in love, but I wasn't asking the Artemis Hunter. I was asking the girl who had been my best friend from the time I was seven. I knew she would probably say no, but instead she shocked me by saying:

"Yes, Annabeth."

I couldn't hold back the complete and utter surprise. It was on such a level I didn't even know what to say.

"I still believe in love, Annabeth," Thalia crossed her arms, "I was in love once, and I would have done all this if I had been given the choice. But I didn't. After Luke, I knew I would never fall in love again. So, I joined. You were there. You were one of the lucky ones. You moved on. You fell in love with Percy. So, yes, I think you have made the right choice even if he is a clueless boy," Thalia smiled warmly. It was then that I remembered who she was. She wasn't just the leader of the hunt along with Artemis. She was Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, protective older sister of Jason, fearer of heights, Hunter, my best friend, and a girl who lost the love of her life. I couldn't help but hug the thin, fifteen-year-old-looking Hunter.

"Thank you, Thalia," I smiled.

"You're welcome as long as you're sure Percy knows that if he hurts you, I'll send a group of boy-hating Artemis Hunters to kill him," Thalia smiled, but I knew she wasn't joking.

"I'll let him know," I tried not to laugh, though it seemed utterly impossible at the time.

"It's time!" Rachel warned with her signature bossy yell. The nerves returned again, only much worse this time. My knees went weak, and it became a struggle to walk. Every fight Percy and I had played in my mind, especially the one where I broke up with him only a few months ago. I even thought about the dream in which I was married to a brunette named Conner and some freak named Alyssa was with Percy in Bermuda and wanted my son. The thoughts weren't the best thing for a nervous bride. I could have died right then. Actually if my father hadn't been standing beside me, also looking like he was going to die, I would have. My father took my arm as we were supposed to and whispered a 'Calm down, Annabeth. It'll be fine.' I would love to say that helped, but that would be a lie.

**Percy:**

Barely breathing from nervousness, I waited. I had been waiting for this day for years. I couldn't wrap my mind around how it was finally here. By this time tomorrow, I'll be married to Annabeth. Annabeth will no longer be Annabeth Chase, but Annabeth Jackson, as will Luke. I started to need another shot of vodka to come my nerves, but that wasn't an option. Instead, I had to just stand there like an idiot.

Then she walked in.

I had to admit, it was worth all that waiting. The dress she had been nervous about since purchase, looked amazing on her. Her usually wild curls had been tamed into gentle waves. Her pale pink lips formed a smile, and her cheeks turned slightly more red. Around her, people were everywhere, including Thalia in a dress which is a rare occurrence. But she was the only one I could see. All nerves slipped away.

I made the right choice.

**Okay, I know it was a little anticlimatic considering how I had worked it up, but I didnt know how to do it as I've never been married. Actually, it's illegal for me to get married at this age. So, I havent been in this situation. Actually, this chapter is amazing as I wrote it in less than an hour. I dont know how long it took me, but I started when my mom started to drive to the beach and was done before we got there. **

**Either I could have written this really fast and have it not be so good or you could have waited for a month for this and it probably still wouldnt be very good. So, I chose the first one for you. :)**


	23. She's What Now?

_**Annabeth:**_

Tomorrow, the honeymoon would be over. I wish I could have been sad to say it, but the entire thing hadn't gone to plan. Instead, I had been sick all week. I don't know if it's food poisoning or something, but it had made me so moody since I threw up the morning after my wedding. It doesn't tend to make you the happiest girl in the world. Well, would you be happy if that happened? I don't think so. Percy was fishing. He knew I didn't fish. So, I'm out and about, puttering until I find something I want to do. Seeing a CVS, I decided to stop in. I love it here. I love how it honestly hasn't changed in the last few decades, but there are sometimes it's just a pain in the butt. This is one of those times. I've already stopped to get ice cream at 'Flavas'. Don't get me started on the name. I don't know exactly what I wanted from there, but I could just get a magazine or something I guess. Not really thinking about anything, I just walked around. Then I saw that idle.

Midol, pads, tampons, and… pregnancy tests.

It made me start thinking. I took a long good look at the isle while I kept piecing everything together. Sick. Late. Moody. I tried to brush off the thought, but it really made me think. I had to get it. I searched through the shelf, trying to find the one that would be most accurate. Calling on all of my courage, I took the small box and three extras just in case. I don't know why the number three. It was just an automatic reaction. Don't ask me why. I just did because when Luke came along I didn't believe it. It took five test, one having to be from an actual doctor. Actually, I still took one more after I went to the doctor. Okay, why are we talking about how I didn't believe I was pregnant?

Okay, let's keep to the story. Now fixated on the test in my hand, I walked over to the freezer where I grabbed three cokes. Trying not to think about what I was doing, I walked over to the cash register and checked out. I thanked my lucky stars that the teenage girl didn't ask any question. Instead, she continued to smack her pink bubble gum and fingered a pendant with the word 'Love' engraved on it. I couldn't help but notice the fact that she looked about fifteen but was trying to look nineteen. She fingered a strand of her sandy blonde hair as she told me the price. I paid and started my walk out, lugging the CVS bag. I fished my car keys out of my tote and unlocked the door.

**XXXXXXXXX**

I looked at my cell phone's timer one more time. It read off that I had one more minute left. Part of me wanted to cheat and speed it up, but I knew that wouldn't do any good. Fingering the blue duvet I sat on Indian style, I waited. And waited. And waited. It wasn't long, but that didn't stop being nervous. Percy will be back soon, and I want this to be done when he does get back. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't call anyone because I was too nervous to talk. I couldn't think which means I couldn't write. I couldn't work, and I definitely couldn't wait. But I had to. So there I sat, watching the seconds tick down on the droid's screen.

5…4…3…2…1

_Bring!_

I felt my stomach untwist a little bit, but not enough. I scrambled up from the bed of the small place we rented for the week. I found myself running as I ran to where I left the pregnancy test on the sink. My hands shaking, I reached for the test, awaiting for whatever I was about to see.

_**Percy:**_

"I'm back," I called out. No answer. In fact, I didn't hear anything at all, "Annabeth? Are you here?" Again, nothing. Then I heard it. A small muffled voice spoke out with what I think was a 'Yes' though I can't be sure. Tracing the voice to where I believe it came from, I still tried to think about whatever the voice said. I can't say I took what I saw well, but I didn't scream from shock. Annabeth's blonde curls fell into her face, trying to hide how it was beet red from crying. She tried to choke back sobs, but it was no use. I've never seen her like that, and I don't want to anytime soon. I walked over to sit beside her on the bed. She didn't even look up like she usually would have. I pushed a stray curl to hang behind her ear and saw she was still slightly crying.

"Annabeth, what's wrong?" I asked. Annabeth looked up at me finally, and I really wished she hadn't. Her grey eyes were angrier than I've seen them in years.

"You did this," her voice was pained as she accused me. Annabeth threw a pillow at me. Dodging said pillow, I started to wonder what she was talking about.

"Anna, what's going on?" I asked, waiting for another pillow to be thrown at me.

"I'm pregnant, Percy," instead of throwing a pillow, she told me that. I furrowed my brow. What the Hades is wrong with that. We both agreed we wanted more children. What does it matter that we started this early like this?

"That's great, Annabeth," I couldn't stop smiling. She looked at me and shook her head.

"Perseus Jackson, you don't get it. Back when I was pregnant with Luke, I almost had a miscarriage. Okay? I was six months pregnant, and I almost lost him! I don't want that to happen again!" Annabeth got up from where she was sitting to storm away. I took a second to take that in. It wasn't the easiest thing to hear. We've been married, what, seven days, and she's already screaming and running away from me. They were serious when they said things would change the second we said 'I do'. I got up from the bed, trying to think of anywhere she would have gone. Remembering she tries not to travel far when she's mad, I racked my brain. All I could do was walk. If it wasn't for her crying, I wouldn't have been able to find her. So, I kept walking on until I found her sitting on the sand stairs leading off to the beach. I sat down on the stair beside her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked. Annabeth looked up from crying into her hands. She took one look at me, and I guess I looked like some sob story. So, she took a deep breath.

"I was so stressed with the idea of raising a baby, working full-time, and not having you around anymore that I started having trouble with the baby. The poison I got when I was protecting the Achilles heel made it hard for my body, and a pregnancy became a lot of strain. Six months in, I started feeling insanely sick and getting terrible pains. I went to the doctor, and they said I was lucky to come in when I did. Otherwise, I could have lost Luke. I took extra medicine to help the baby along, and I still had to get a C-section. I didn't want to tell you because I know it was my fault that my pregnancy had trouble because I pushed you away which caused a lot of stress for me," Annabeth answered. I didn't know what to do. Do I take her hand or something? I don't know.

"You were under a lot of stress. That doesn't mean you'll have problems again with this baby," I told her. A tear started to fall from her right eye.

"That was years ago. My body was younger and stronger, and I still almost lost Luke. What if my body can't handle it? I couldn't handle losing a baby, and you can't either, Perseus. I can't handle losing you again," Annabeth looked straight into my eyes, sending a chill down my spine.

"You won't lose this baby, and, even if you do, we will survive. I love you, Annabeth. We still have Luke, and we're about to have either a great boy or a beautiful girl," I smiled. Annabeth smiled for the first time since this morning when I kissed her goodbye to go fishing. I took it as a good sign and took her hugging me as an even greater sign. Clutching her tightly, I finally started thinking about something.

Annabeth's pregnant.

With my baby.

Oh Zeus.

**All year, I've been trying to get to sleep early so I would wake up early, though I never do. I decided against it tonight and stayed up. Apparently, I'm at my best at night. I finished tuning and got a mod to work on sims 3. I finished this when all I had was about four lines. I even watched those old shows I love so much like Roseanne, MASH, and stuff like that. By the way, you know Happily Divorced? Well, that actually happened to the star. She was with a man for years, and he even helped make the Nanny. Years later, he announces that he was gay all those years they were together. Isn't that terrible? Now, with this, I know it was weird, but it was a million times better than what I had before. I had to rewrite it because it was terrible and unrealistic. This is the same, but a million times better. :) 3 **

**Hey, people that thought she was pregnant, you were right. She's pregnant. I was going to wait a year or something, but I like it better like this.**


	24. Chapter 24

_**Annabeth:**_

"Mommy!" the familiar voice of a wonderful two year old boy yelled out in a happy yell. He ran towards me and I scooped him into my arms. Almost crying from joy of seeing him and the overwhelming pregnancy emotions, I kissed the side of his head.

"I missed you so much, Luka," I whispered in his ear. He let out that cute little giggle that toddlers have. Don't you just love it? It almost makes waking up every night at two in the morning while still having a full time job to take care of when he was a newborn worth it. If you'll care to notice, I said almost yet again. That's when I started to think about two in the morning again. Okay, hmm, I'll have to find a way to trick Percy into agreeing to handle all night feedings for this baby as long as I don't… that made me really need to cry. Instead, I let Luke lose so he could say hey to his father.

"You're back," Sally smiled. She looked like the mother or grandmother I had always wanted as a child. Her warm eyes looked at me and her only son with a look of content and pride, but there was something else about the way she looked at me. It made me feel as I were her daughter. It was something I hadn't felt very much. I love my step mother, but I didn't always. It wasn't until I was a Senior in High School that we made nice, and by then she was so busy with Bobby and Mathew that there wasn't much left for me. So, I didn't quite have that motherly bond with her I'm afraid. She wasn't like Sally. She didn't have that motherly feel to her. Well, she did to Matthew and Bobby, but it felt weird when she tried to be around me. My father was great once I got to know him, I suppose. I don't know what it was, but I could tell from the look in Sally's eyes that she knew that I was pregnant. Well, that saves me some time trying to tell her.

"Annabeth," Cally ran over to see the group. Now, Paul knows about Percy's…father but he didn't know about Percy's little romance with Calypso. So, when he read the Myths and heard the name Calypso, he fell in love with it. Six months later, baby Cally was born exactly one year before Percy and I went to college. Cally's thirteen now, and instead of mama's girl or daddy's girl but a brother's girl. Of course, let's face it, I'm awesome. I don't know why, but Cally sees me as a sister to her. Personally, I love being an older sister, sorta, to her. It's fun. Turns out now that I'm almost thirty, I get along better with thirteen year olds better than I did when I _was_ thirteen.

"Oh my god, you're so grown up," I smiled at her. She didn't much look like her brother, but there was something about both of them. I can't place it, but it's definitely there. Instead of her brother's sea green eyes, she had bubbly dark brown curls and baby blue eyes. She looked exactly like her mother, only with a little more coloring that came from Paul. She was exactly how I wanted to look when I was her age. Cally smiled and tried to blush. I really like this girl. That's when I got to thinking. It was around this age that I met Percy, the man who I would date for ten years, get pregnant with his child, spend almost three years getting over until he reappeared, married, and am currently pregnant yet again with his child. I think I might need to talk to her or at least ask about if she's met any guys recently.

"Just like Luka here," Cally smiled.

"Sweetie, your brother and I have to go an event for work next week. So, we were wondering if you could babysit for us," I asked her with a smile. I was going to ask Rachel, but I like Cally as she seems to get along with Luke amazingly. Besides, if Cally does it, I won't have to worry if I'll come home to see a new mural painted in Luke's bedroom along with him covered in paint as well. Yeah, Rachel was feeling artsy, and I was stupid enough to leave paint supplies in my office. Cally's too… well, she wouldn't do it. Anyway, she eagerly nodded yes, but a frown set in.

"Mommy, can I pretty, pretty please babysit Lucas?" Cally clasped her hands together in a prayer-like way. She puffed out her bottom lip and looked at her mother with puppy-dog eyes that always worked on her big brother and father.

"Well…" Sally started out, but I could tell she was about to cave. I don't know if Cally knew, but any mom would be able to tell. Cally looked up at her mother with her pleading blue eyes, "Fine, Calypso, but if anything happens…" Sally left that threat in the air, but Cally still smiled like her mother had just given her a new cell phone instead of saying she could babysit her nephew.

**Percy:**

"It's freezing in here. Luke, can you go get Mommy a blanket?" Annabeth asked as she zipped up her grey hoodie, almost shivering. Luke looked at me, most likely thinking that it wasn't that cold in the room, but I just nodded my head for him to go. Luke rolled his green eyes and went off to get a blanket.

I pressed the eject button on the DVD player and pressed the little circular button-thingy in the DVD box. What's that thing called again? Well, anyway, I pressed that and put the DVD for MONSTERS INC in the player. Annabeth didn't say anything, but, from the little sighs she kept exhaling, I knew she really wanted to.

"What's wrong, Annie?" I got up from putting the movie in to where I was sitting beside her on the couch. Annabeth curled up closer to me and rested her head on my chest with a deep exhale.

"I wonder whatever happened to the real Calypso," Annabeth started to feel at her stomach. She had been doing that ever since she found out. I'm starting to wonder if she's trying to see if she can feel the baby or if she's just seeing if she's started to show yet. Either way, she was doing it again. I started to hope Luke would come back in soon so I wouldn't have to answer, but after waiting for a few seconds I gave up on that.

"May I ask why are you asking that?" I asked. She shrugged.

"I was thinking of Cally, and that lead to me thinking about the original Calypso," Annabeth answered. I bit my tongue because her explanation actually made sense. What to say now?

"Well, Calypso probably had some other hero, fell in love with him, watched him go, became heartbroken over him, and forgot all about Perseus Jackson," I answered, hoping she'd leave it at that.

"You're pretty hard to forget, Percy," Annabeth continued on. I wanted to smirk that she couldn't forget me because she had almost died because of me and that I got her knocked up twice. Of course, I'm not _that_ stupid. You have to admit, it would be a little funny if I had. Back to my point. There was only one thing I could do, and it'd be a lie to say I didn't enjoy it. I brought up her chin to where she was looking straight at me. I crashed my lips onto hers. For a moment or two, Annabeth's body was tense, but it didn't take long until she relaxed and kissed back. I would have smiled, but my lips were a little busy. I pulled up from the kiss.

"How about we get a new subject?" I smiled. Annabeth seemed too breathless to speak so she just nodded. I felt a little high from my victory, and it was only made worse by the feeling of happiness as she curled up close to me again. Luke finally walked in lugging a blanket that seemed to weigh as much as he did.

"Here's the blanket, Mommy," Luke tried to hand it over. Annabeth just smiled as she took it.

"You are such a Sweetheart," Annabeth smiled as Luke climbed onto the couch. Seeing as everyone was now on the sofa and prepared to watch a movie, I pressed the play button for MONSTERS INC. By the way, why is the play button like a sideways triangle? Isn't that a little weird? Also, why is the pause symbol two rectangles? I can't be the only one who wonders about that.

**Sorry, I've been so busy with my book. I have fifty-five pages, and I figured out how I want to end it. I'm almost at the ending point. Luckily, I hit a bit of writers block with that and I got bored playing sims. So, I started to work on this. As you may have seen, I have a story of one-shot proposals between Percy and Annabeth. I have two, but I'm a little stuck on the next. If you have any ideas, please send it to me. I will be sure to credit your collaboration. :D :D :D :D :P :D :D :D**


	25. Chapter 25

_**Annabeth:**_

"I have missed you so much, Darling. How are you? How was the honeymoon? You both must have just had a ball. How's Lucas? He is just a Sweetie. We must meet up soon. You're wedding reception was amazing. It was just so much fun. You pulled it off. You really did," Rachel continued on. I continued to listen to everything she was saying, waiting until she would finally shut up, which didn't happen.

"Rachel," I tried to interject, but she continued on, full speed ahead. Actually, I think she started talking faster and more.

"Rachel!" I snapped. The only sound after that was the receiver, and I swear I heard an echo. I sighed. Perfect. I screamed at my best friend. This day is going amazingly, don't you agree? This is so great, it should be televised.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie, but I really need to tell you something," I crossed my arms impatiently, waiting for the phone to amplify her voice.

"Well, are you going to tell me?" Rachel's voice came through. I could imagine her smiling. I took a deep breath. This was a whole lot easier the first time when I was crying so much it took her thirty minutes to understand what I was saying. Oh my gods. How am I going to tell my father?... How am I going to break it to my mother?

"Rach, I'm pregnant," I smiled. This could really take some getting used to, but I can handle it. I'm a daughter of Athena. I can handle raising a new baby and just-turned-three-a-month-ago little boy. Besides, I can always force Percy to do a lot of the work by saying that he's the one who got me pregnant. You have no idea how many times I've gotten him to do things by saying that. He just makes it so easy.

"Oh my gods!" Rachel squealed, "Wait, does Percy know? When did you find out?"

"I found out on the last day of the honeymoon, and he caught me freaking out with a positive pregnancy test. So, yes, Rachel, I'm afraid he was the first one to find out," I shrugged as I knew she would be insulted to not be first. She was first the last time and most likely thought that there was no reason to change it, which I suppose does make sense, but that is beside the point.

"Wait, I thought you guys you used protection," Rachel stopped. All I could really do was roll my eyes. I know she's the Oracle and everything, but she still went to school with us where we did have a certain health class where they went over that subject. How can she not remember that? Oui. **[A/N: I believe that was spelled right. It's the jewish word. My mom says it all the time. I'm starting to thing she doesnt remember that shes a Frech heritage, methodist, not a jew]**

"Rachel, you and I both know it doesn't always… _protect_," I didn't know what to say considering I was standing in Luke's daycare with kids and parents walking in, walking out, and waiting, meaning it wasn't the perfect time to tell her what I meant.

"How far along are you?" Rachel asked me. I went to the doctor yesterday. She told me that she was a little surprised that I didn't already know with me having already been through a pregnancy and all. I just answered that with all the drama in my life I was trying to avoid the possibility. It may have been the right thing to say, because it did get a smile from her, but I still felt stupid by the way she said that I should have known. I mean, who am I, Hera? Just because I act like I do, doesn't mean I know everything.

"I'm eight weeks," I answered. I could hear her 'Hmmm'ing, most likely piecing it all together just as I had when I first found out. Actually, it was a little relieving. I don't know what I thought was wrong with me, and that scared me the most, not that pregnancy isn't scary. It's scary because of the thought that my body may not be able to take the strain of carrying a baby to the thought of being moody all the time, gaining weight, having terrible cravings, and watching Percy handle that. How is Percy going to handle that? He had trouble handling me _before_ I was pregnant, and he'll also have to handle our three year old son. Wait a minute, how we plan to handle having a newborn and a four year old in the same house? Oh my gods. I'm going to need to have Rachel and Sally on speed dial.

"You didn't know for _eight_ _weeks_?" Rachel made sure to add the disbelieving in as she said 'Eight Weeks'. I wanted to point out that I was a nervous, niave bride and that it was supposed to be her job to notice, which she did not, meaning it is not my fault. But I didn't. Instead I just smiled as my son, Luke, started to walk over to me.

"Rachel, I just picked up Luke from daycare. I'll call you later. 'Kay?" I asked. Rachel grumbled what I'm pretty sure was 'It was just getting interesting, but fine', but it was pretty hard to understand. She could have said anything. Taking it as a good sign, I hung up the phone just as Luke walked up to me.

**Xxxxxxxxxxx**

It was an hour later since I had picked him up, but, since Percy was going with Grover to some baseball game and wouldn't be back until late and Luke didn't feel like going home just yet, Luke and I were still walking around Central Park, licking at ice cream. I hadn't gotten much time with Luke recently, and, in nine months, that was about to get a whole lot worse. I didn't know how to tell Luke. So, I hadn't. I was hoping when Percy and I were finished on the nursery or when the baby came, he'd just get it. But my dad hadn't told me his new wife was having twins, and it made things a whole lot worse when she came home with two little boys. I felt like I was being pushed out. Percy's little sister wasn't born until he was basically in college. So, he doesn't quite understand. I don't want Luke to feel like his new sibling is more important than him. He just got a father and a family. I know without a doubt he won't be too happy to share. I really wish Harvard had given a parenting class. I probably wouldn't have taken it because I'm an unorthodox parent and if they had graded it may have brought down my GPA, but it would have been helpful if I had taken a class like that. I would know how to tell my son that he was about to be a big brother.

"Mommy, why are you moving all of the stuff out of your office? Are we moving?" Luke asked. Great. Now either I can lie to my son or I can tell him I'm pregnant. Okay, split second decision.

"Well, Luka, we have to make room for something in there," I answered, hoping he would just drop it.

"What?" Luke asked again, not dropping it. Of course! Perfect. I wanted to trick Percy into telling him. Shoot. Alright, Annabeth, suck it up and tell him. Just get over it.

"Well, Lucas, do you remember when you said you always wanted a sibling?" I asked, taking another lick of my French Vanilla ice cream cone.

"No, I do not remember saying that," Luke answered with a shrug. Seriously? He is making this harder than it really should be.

"No, Sweetheart, you did. Well, your father agrees that you should have a sibling, and, Lucas, in a few months, you will," I braced myself for however he was going to react.

"I knew it," Luke smiled.

"You knew?" I looked down at him. He shrugged.

"Dad was complaining to himself and let it slip," Luke answered. This got me interested. I looked down at Luke. He didn't seem to know what he had just told us.

"Oh really, and what was Dad complaining about?"

**Percy:**

_Clang!_

I sat up in bed instantly, looking beside me. No Annabeth. I looked at the alarm clock beside me. 4 am. I let out a groan but did eventually get up. She had to get up right now? Perfect. She actually wasn't that hard to find.

Annabeth was sitting on the couch flipping from page to page in a scrapbook. Beside her, she had a book with a book mark that Luke made her sticking out. On the floor, her black laptop was closed. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she was yet again wearing blue shorts and my navy sweatshirt.

"Annabeth, what are you doing up?" I asked, tiredly. She looked up. I couldn't help but notice that she didn't seem tired at all. Other than the slight bedhead, you wouldn't know she even knew it was night.

"I couldn't get back to sleep," Annabeth shrugged.

"And what was the noise then?" I asked, crossing my arms. Annabeth nodded to a bookshelf behind her where books were strewed all over the floor. How did I not see that? Seriously, this is just getting embarrassing.

"I couldn't get the scrapbook out," Annabeth answered with another shrug. It was three weeks since she found about the baby and two weeks since I had gotten in trouble with her. I have got to watch what I say in front of Luke. I always knew he could blab, but I didn't think that he could hear me or was paying attention. Wasn't he watching Bubble Guppies at this time? I didn't know he had decided to come out of his room. This really isn't my fault. Besides, Annabeth wanted to wait until we could tell him together, but she didn't. If she had waited, I wouldn't be in trouble. Or I could have just not complained… Hmm, I might need to rethink my defense.

"What's in the book?" I decided to just sit down beside her, even though the bed was calling me to go back to sleep. Annabeth didn't look like the happiest person in the world as I did so, but she wasn't exactly angry. So, I didn't walk away. Instead, I just looked at the pictures. I instantly understood why she didn't want me to see all this. Annabeth let out a yawn.

"Sweetie, I'm going back to bed," Annabeth got up, leaving me with the scrapbook.

"I'll be up there in a minute," I told her, now interested in the book. She smiled and went back up the stairs. I looked back down at the pictures. The page she was open to was when she was heavily pregnant. I flipped it again to see that my thought was right because the next to see Annabeth holding a baby in a blue blanket. I smiled, but I felt a pang hit my heart. It was getting worse second by second, giving me no choice but to go to the next page. This one hurt more. I didn't know when it was from, but it was definitely there. A tall blonde was kissing the side of Annabeth's head in a tux. She was smiling in a blue dress.

Is it pathetic that I'm a tad bit jealous of a _photo_?

I know I'm supposed to close the book and just go back to bed, but I was too interested. I turned the page again, and he was still there. This time he was holding Luke, which just angered me. I searched his face, wondering if he was just a brother, but I didn't see it. There wasn't that brilliant look in his eye or even similar looks. He wasn't a son of Athena, and he wasn't Matthew or Bobby. That much was clear. Another picture was just of them kissing, and he didn't appear in another picture. I searched through the rest of the book, and he wasn't there. The picture even went into when Luke was about one, but he never showed up again. I couldn't help myself. I turned back to the page where he made his second appearance when he was kissing her. I took out the picture. Part of me wanted to rip it to shreds and throw it away, but I just it turned around to look at it.

_Peter before he got on the flight to Denver._

Denver? Peter?

I'll admit, my friends tried to set me up with a few girls while I was in Hawaii, and, while only one of those dates led to another and that relationship ended in less than a month, I had a few hook-ups. But Annabeth and I discussed that incase some of my friends decided to tell her about some girl in Hawaii. I thought she had told me about everyone, but there never once was a Peter.

All right, Percy. Let's just calm down. I married Annabeth. Whoever Peter was, he doesn't matter. In the end, I got her.

But why wouldn't she tell me?

Okay, stop it, Percy. Let's just forget about it and go back to bed. Good. Great.

**Can't help it. Everyone is doing it. And as you know very well, I am awesome. So, I might as well try it. ;)**

Athena stormed into the Olympian meeting. Everyone turned to look at her, but she didn't seem to care. Instead, she just walked along, straight to her throne, where she reclined. A sudden chill hit the room, and Poseidon was so scared he could have peed his pants.

"Lord Zeus, I apologize for not being prompt. I was held up checking in on my children." Athena told Zeus, her voice dry and angry. She didn't have to specify who she was mad at. Everyone knew who she was mad at. They had spent over a decade watching their new love story of Percy and Annabeth. In fact, Aphrodite had just entertained the council with watching them for a moment. Everyone knew about Annabeth's pregnancy with Percy's child.

"Would that child be Annabeth?" Apollo smirked. A tension filled the room, but Apollo seemed to either not notice or he just wasn't concerned. Athena's jaw tightened. She could feel her cheeks burn. Her daughter was not only married to but is pregnant with and has a child with the son of her enemy. She loved her grandson, but, by the time he was born, Percy was gone. She didn't think that he'd return. She could go to see him without thinking about Luke's father, but she couldn't do that. Percy got his daughter pregnant _twice_. It wasn't a happy thought for Athena.

"Oh, Athena, you must get over it. They're in love. Take it as a blessing that she didn't get pregnant when they were seventeen and fooling around," Aphrodite smiled. Athena turned to look at her, her grey eyes burning with hate. Aphrodite shrank in her chair. Aphrodite couldn't help it. It was her nature. It's just a natural reaction. Hermes looked at Athena. He wasn't really close with Athena, but she was a great customer. She was ordering books and things all the time. She also shipped off a lot, too. Athena was the main reason he was still in business. When she was upset, she didn't order or ship. She stayed home, looking out at a beautiful view with music playing. Now that Aphrodite back in 'HOT-COLLEGE-GUY' season, she usually picks up make-up and magazines in the world instead of having him do it. He needed Athena's constant buying of books, new computers with the latest software, and stuff like that.

"Athena, the next Scarpetta arrived for you," Hermes nervously told it, holding it up. Athena snapped, and the book appeared in her hand. She gave it the once-over and nodded approvingly.

"So, why was this meeting called?" Athena asked, starting to relax. As she did so, the room let up. Gods chatted to each other as the meeting began

**XXXXXXXX**

Athena started to walk down the streets of Olympus. It was a beautiful day, but Athena was too distracted. Poseidon walked along the streets as well. His wife had kicked him out for her book club meeting, and he couldn't stay in his son's wing of the mansion because he was having a girl over. So, he was out there. The second he saw Athena he almost stumbled back. She looked beautiful. Her titanium blond hair was down and blowing in the slight breeze. She hadn't taken the time to change out of the meeting uniform of a Greek robe which also blew in the wind. She looked peaceful and beautiful. Poseidon shook it off. He'll say he needed to talk to her, but he really just wanted to talk to her so he wouldn't stare at her like a geek looking at a head cheerleader.

"Athena?" Poseidon asked. Athena turned to look at him immediately. She noticed that he had changed from his toga into jeans and a baseball tee. She couldn't help but notice how he looked like Percy, and she'll never admit this but she also thought he looked cute.

"Yes, Poseidon," Athena crossed her arms, remembering her anger for him.

"With Annabeth and Percy having a new baby," Poseidon started. Athena looked down, not wanting to talk about it.

"It would be in the best interest of our grandchildren," Poseidon made sure to mention the children instead of their children as Athena doesn't really like Percy, "If we made peace."

"Peace? You must be joking. This is an ancient feud. I am not going to forgive your jealous ways because your son knocked my daughter up," Athena defended. She felt herself wanting to start crying, but she had to remain strong. Poseidon looked deep into her eyes.

"Fine. I'm not saying we'll be friends, but we will no longer be enemies," Athena shrugged.

"Deal?" Poseidon asked, putting his hand out to shake. Athena seemed doubtful but caved.

"Deal," Athena shook his hand.

"I guess I'll see you the next holiday when we can see Luke," Poseidon smiled. Athena couldn't believe what she was doing, but it was in the best interest of her daughter, her grandson, and her new grandchild.

**Was the god thing too weird?**

**I know it's weird. Anyway, I'm just going to clear some things up. Luke is three. Annabeth and Percy are about thirty or thirty-one. The Percy POV didn't mean anything. I just got bored. So, you don't have to worry about any problems with their marriage or anything. Okay, so I'm almost finished with the book! I am so excited. I'm going to work it a bit more and send it off to an editor and see what I get back. I cant wait to see what happens. Okay, so, my two crazy cousins are visiting me this week and I'm trying to push off my boy crazy best friend to one of them because he is getting over a break up and he needs a little fun after becoming the man in his house while his dad was at war. BTW, I'm watching house hunters international and these people are putting out one million and it was hard for the real estate agent to find a place because everything cost more! God, in America, these houses wouldn't go for more than four hundred thousand. As you may know, WAREHOUSE 13 AND HAVEN have just come back on, and I'm not called HAWTgeek for nothing. I'm in geeking out when it comes to tv. I've got my teen soap operas, cartoons, ghost shows, say yes to the dress, teen mom, old shows, doctor who, and all that playing. I tend to be diverse. Hmmm….**

**Anyway, love you and thank you for reading! **


	26. Preparing with Vigilance, well, Paint

_**Annabeth:**_

I looked beside me at the clock on the oven, ignoring the almost blinding morning light.

6 am.

I let out a large sigh and began to bang my head on the granite countertop. My body nagged at me to go back to sleep, but I was feeling too sick. I hate morning sickness. I wonder if everyone gets morning sickness this badly or if Hera just makes it worse on me because she hates me. I ran a hand through my messy blonde hair. Really, Percy thinks this is hard on him. Honestly, I should be making this harder on him. He really does deserve it. Well, I guess, I did it too. Okay, new subject. I pressed the start button on the coffee.

Two hours later, I slid on my right shoe and took a last sip of my coffee. Luke tugged on my arm anxiously, and I really wished Percy was taking Luke instead of me.

"I'm coming, Sweetie," I told him, almost cringing from saying 'Sweetie'. I'm spending too much time with Rachel. I felt my stomach flip, but I ignored it. I was starting to get used to it. I put up with it three years ago. I can handle it now. Well, I can pretend to handle it now.

"Love you, Annabeth," Percy kissed my cheek. Sparks fled through my body, making me feel like a nerdy girl being kissed by the quarterback like in some tween movie or something. For a moment, my thoughts completely left my brain, but the toddler looking impatient brought me back.

"Love you, Percy," I forced the words off my tongue, trying to sound as non-giddy-from-his-kiss as possible. Percy, being so cutely clueless, didn't notice. Instead, Percy said goodbye to Luke or something. I'm not sure. I was a bit busy trying to remember what I was thinking earlier and making sure I had my keys because while I found it a bit funny when that happened, Luke didn't share the feeling. Sometimes, I worry about if he knows that he's the kid and I'm the parent. Eh, my dad probably thought the same thing. What? Have you met me? I was exactly like this when I was a kid. Some things don't change, like Percy's cluelessness or dieters craving chocolate. Wait, now I want chocolate.

I hate being pregnant.

I grabbed a chocolate breakfast bar and stuffed in it my purse before Luke pulled me off.

I hate mornings.

**Percy:**

"Yes, I completely understand, Dad," Annabeth answered into the phone, anxious to hang up even though I really wanted this conversation to keep going. Remember when I though moving furniture was bad? I was wrong. Compared to this, that was like a day at the beach. I was picking out paint with Annabeth. Do you know how picking out paint is with her? She wants everything to be perfect, especially this which means we've spent forty-five minutes picking out paint, and we're not even close to finding what she wants. A call from her father was a welcome change. I don't even understand why we have to do this. We won't know if it's a boy or girl for another three months. Shouldn't we wait until then? I think we should. Then again, I'm really not in the mood to paint. Don't ask me why. I'm just not.

"Dad-" Annabeth started but stopped like she was being cut off. She looked like she wanted to hang up right then. Well that, or she wanted to kill me. I don't know which, but I'm going for the father thing because I've had enough of her being mad at me for the next few weeks.

"Really, Dad, I have to go," Annabeth tried to convince her father, "I'm cooking. Why would I lie about that, Dad? Alright, love you, too, Dad."

Annabeth pressed the end button, turned her phone on silent, and stuck it in her jean pocket. I couldn't help but look at her, my arms crossed with a smile positioned on my lips. She let out a sigh of relief before she looked at me.

"What?" she asked, looking like she had absolutely no earthly idea what was going on. Really? And she thinks _I'm_ the clueless one? Not so smart now, huh little miss Athena? If you tell her I said that, you'd be better off facing the wrath of my mother-in-law when she found out I went with Annabeth to California when she got the job there. Well, there's no way anyone but the goddess of war and wisdom could have pulled off such anger when she found out:

She was my new mother in-law

She was a grandmother of my son

I didn't know about said son and left

She's about to the grandmother of, yet again, my child

I messed around with her daughter in college

And there's another, but that one could go either way:

I almost ended up with Rachel and numerous other girls, in Hawaii.

Yeah, I mean, I guess she was mad because that would have hurt her daughter. Then again, I wouldn't be with her daughter which would be a good thing to her as well. Honestly, I suppose she could mad at both. Well, knowing her, she'd hate me no matter what I did.

"What is it with you and lying to your father?" I asked, resting my arm around her shoulders. She got closer to me, but still shrugged, causing a bit of a stir.

"I love him and never want to disappoint him," Annabeth leaned her head onto my shoulder where she continued to look at colors.

"So, telling him you are picking out paint with your husband would disappoint him?" I asked her, looking at her like she was just as crazy as she honestly was.

"No, but telling him I really wanted to spend time with my husband, even if it was picking out paint, instead of talking to my father would, Perseus," Annabeth used her 'I'm-Always-Right-Just-Accept-It' voice that always works on Lucas and me. I don't know why, but there's something about it where I just know that suddenly I'm wrong, she's right, and I need to agree with her, a lesson to all men dealing with any woman.

"You know, we could go spend time together not picking out paint," I nudged her with a smile. She somehow managed to shake her head while still having her head on my shoulder.

"You're not getting out of painting the baby's room that easily, Perce," Annabeth didn't even seem to pay attention to her words as she scanned from color to color.

"We don't even know if it's a boy or girl," I whined, clutching her tightly as if that would change her mind. If only. All my problems would be gone if that worked.

"Percy, face it. We are not normal. I don't want to be normal, and this baby won't be normal either. Honestly, it could be in the best interest if we went ahead and started painting. I mean, what if we do wait until we find out in about three months. We'll then have about two months, and we need so much more to get ready for a baby. Really? What are boys taught? How would you not know that?" Annabeth said as nonchalantly as she would tell me that Luke was in his room watching Bubble Guppies again.

"Boys are taught not to screw around and always agree with the woman. You're lucky I even remembered to agree. There are some men who can't remember either," I smirked, smiling down on her. She looked up to look into my eyes, her grey eyes almost shining.

"I don't have to be reminded how lucky I am, thank you very much. I have my mother to disagree for that," she smiled, and I kissed the top of her head. I don't know if what because she was pregnant, but she was glowing like the camp fireworks on fourth of July, maybe brighter.

"So, what color are we really looking for?" I asked, finally accepting the fact that no matter what I did, I wasn't getting out of this. She turned back to the colors. I looked back and forth between her and the colors.

"We have to go for something gender neutral like yellow or something," Annabeth answered. I looked at my watch. We had now been here for an hour. I was on the verge of buying all the paint and painting it all on the walls.

**TWO DAYS LATER:**

Annabeth walked into the room, the floors covered in the awful white plastic you put down on wood floors so you don't get any paint on them. My jeans and tee shirt were both devoured in the paint. I had Grover help with a lot of it, but he left when there was only a quarter of the last wall needed paint. I couldn't help but notice how Annabeth did not have even the slightest imperfection on her black yoga pants and college tee shirt that somehow managed to survive the late night sweet-and-sour-chicken-eating study nights, the morning jogs she took every morning with Rachel when she lived out West in California for a few years, so-tired-she-fell-asleep-on-the-couch while being a complete workaholic nights, can't move because of the flu days, and cry in the bed complaining about me to Rachel whenever I did something stupid fights. My college tee-shirt has seen so many bad days that I repeatedly have to buy new ones. Annabeth pulled her curls into a bun and looked straight at me.

"You do know you were supposed to get the pain on the walls, not on yourself, right, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth smiled, her arms crossed.

"Shut up," I walked towards her, forcing her lips on her own. She smiled for a moment before kissing.

"_Why are we babysitting my baby sister on Valentines Day?" I complained. Annabeth shushed at me and tiredly sat back down on the couch, resting her head on my chest _

"_I just got Cally to sleep. So, try to be a little less loud," Annabeth complained. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her closely. Cally was seven months old and being the biggest change of my life since I found out I was a half-blood. Now, instead of going to parties with my friends or going on dates with my girlfriend, I was watching her. Annabeth was completely understanding, and usually made the relationship work by somehow making the babysitting fun and a tad bit romantic. I have no idea how she does it, but I couldn't do it without her. Then again, I can't do anything do anything without her. Well, I don't _want_ to. So, I'm not so sure if I _could_, but I never want to. _

"_Hmm," Annabeth nuzzled closer to me, almost falling asleep in my arms. _

"_Annie-beth," I whispered in her ear. She 'Hmmhumm'ed again, falling deeper and deeper into a slumber. _

"_Why didn't we let my parents stay home with Cally?" I whispered again. She let her eyes open again, not enough to be called awake but not completely asleep. _

"_Because your parents need some time to themselves and I don't like romantic things. You know that better than anyone, _Percy-beth. _We have next year for Valentine's Day," Annabeth answered with a sweet smile. I felt sparks erupt through my body. _

"_In all the time we've dated, we have never once had a romantic Valentine's Day. I thought girls were supposed to love all that stuff," I kissed the top of her head. _

"_Listen, I don't care about that. As long as you don't cheat on me or anything, I'm good," Annabeth let her eyes close once again. _

"_I love you, Annie," I whispered in her ear with a smile. She let a smile dance across her lips and clutched onto me a tad bit tighter._

"_I love you, too, Percy," Annabeth got up from falling asleep in my arms to crash her pale-pink lips on mine. I could have focused on how we had just finally told each other that we loved each other. I could have focused on a lot of things, but I chose something a bit more simple. I focused on how her lips were on mine. _

"Do you still think this is the right color?" Annabeth looked at the walls, still in my grasp.

"It better be because I'm not repainting this," I nodded towards the four green walls. She had a light green so it could be made for a girl or boy room. Now, we had the part I was going to hate the most.

Shopping.

"Thank you, Sweetheart," she kissed me once again.

**HIYA!**

**Finished my book. Now, I have the trouble of finding a publisher. My mom is breathing down my neck to find a way. She is working on getting me a publisher she knows in New York. I don't really know. I loved Pottery Camp this week. It was awesome. I have now gone three years in a row! Um, I can't stop watching America's Sweethearts. I just love it so much. Hey, I have an idea. **

**Well, this story is getting pretty long. I mean, twenty six chapters! I was thinking that it might be easiest to both attract new readers and make it a whole lot easier, that when the baby comes, start it on a new story name. It'll be the same thing. I guess, just a sequel. This wont end or anything. I'll just make a big deal about the baby, and start a new story continuing on the story of Percy, Luke, Annabeth, and the new baby. Nothing will change, but I'm not so sure if it is in fact the best thing to do. So, I was just running it by here. **

**Well, I better get to bed. Don't want to be late to class tomorrow. Please let me know if you think the new story thing will be a good idea or just wasting time. You know me, I can have brilliant ideas and the dumbest thing you've ever heard of but never know which is which. **

_**RANDOM THING OF THIS Author's Note: **_**B) [I watched some movie, well I watched the beginning because it just got bad soon into it, but I watched big mama like father like son. Well, this girl got dumped by a guy with this symbol and the girls comforted her by saying 'He's not ready to commit because he knows you're such a great girl that he doesn't deserve and is falling so hard for you it scares him' or something like that and when she got mad when she saw the end sign with that they said 'It's sunglasses which means he's hiding his feelings and fear'. I heard that and cant stop thinking of that]**

**My overall favorite thing that I want to say to someone: **

**Them: "Have you gone insane?" look at me with pleading eyes, not believing the responsible girl they know is letting loose.**

**Me: "Maybe. I'll probably regret it later" shrug and smile, "but I'm having so much fun while it lasts."**

**I don't know why I thought of that or put it on here, but I'm random. Get used to it.**


	27. Theres a Reason I'm Called Seaweed Brain

**update or die: I think you're going to like this. This chapter is dedicated to you. I hope this gives you the drama you wanted :]**

**IFoundAPickle: Well, thanks. I hope that the wait wont be too long until it is published. But seriously, I really do want to say that. Actually, I think I know who I even want to say it to. ;)**

**FutureNovelist887: Oh my gods, you are such a sweetheart. Thanks so much. Really, there are sometimes were when I post a chapter I think 'What will Future say to this one?'. Thank you soo soo much for the support. **

**Annabeth Chase-Jackson14: I know, right? I am so lucky to have such a supportive mom. I'm afraid this story will be shorter than I thought. Uh, there won't be much time until the sequel. It'll be awesome. I promise. **

**Thanks to all the reviewers. From now on, I plan to write something like this at the top to certain reviews that pop out. Well, here's what you actually came for:**

_**Percy:**_

I took another sip at my coffee and looked at my watch yet again.

Ten PM.

Luke was fast asleep, and I should be getting to bed as well, but I couldn't go to sleep. I can assure, I tried. It just didn't work. All I could think of was how she was late. She wasn't home, and then the image of Peter came into my mind. I know I'm being ridiculous. I just can't help it. It's just how I am.

As each second ticked away, my nerves got worse and worse. I don't know what I was worried about. Maybe I thought that if I that she was… I don't know. The reasonable side of me told me that she was working herself to death like always, but the reasonable side wasn't what was worrying me.

We have only been married six months. I suppose we're still in the 'I love them and am worried to death that I could lose them stage'. I trust her, but I can't lose her. More than anything in the world, I need her. It's like I have to worry. Then again, she's also seven months pregnant. Everything is crazy. We're both stressed, and I need something to put that into so it isn't just bottled up inside. I'm not sure if I think she'd… cheat on me.

But she didn't tell me about Peter. We made a deal to tell all about everyone we were with. I thought we told each other everything. I was sure we did. But she didn't tell me. There are millions of times it could have come up, but I never heard it once. I've never even heard her mention someone named Peter except Fringe. I would know if she did. I would remember.

I suddenly craved a spike in my coffee. I don't know why I suddenly wanted a glass of something in the upper shelf of the kitchen, but it was there. Either two things could happen, I could have a drink or Annabeth could come home.

Either way, I was going to talk to Annabeth, and it was going to turn into a fight. Meaning I can be sober during a fight or be as drunk as Zeus while Hera was at the festival in her honor in Greece every year. Sober seemed to be the best option.

I heard the click of the door being unlocked. A few seconds later, the door came open quietly, the only sound being the New York night noises. From the kitchen archway, I could see Annabeth creep in, as if she were silently praying to every god she could think of that I wouldn't be awake. Well, that's a bust, huh?

"You're home late," I spoke in a monotone, becoming the only noise in the quiet house. Annabeth flinched for a moment and took a second or two to catch her breath. She set down her purse, and hung up her jacket on the coat rack.

"What are you still doing up?" Annabeth smiled her sweet smile as she walked into the kitchen. She kissed my cheek and started to slide out of her heels to sit down across from me. Her grey eyes watched me, becoming a bit scared from the look in my eyes.

"Couldn't sleep," I shrugged, not taking my eyes off her. For some strange reason, she couldn't look in my eyes. Of course, that didn't give me much trust.

"Why's that?" Annabeth asked.

"I was just worried about you I guess," I shrugged, my voice still in the monotone from earlier.

"I'm sorry. Work got hectic," Annabeth let a sweet, apologetic smile play across her light pink lips. I should have let that be the end of it. Looking back on it, I really wish I had. Everything would have been easier, and I do mean everything.

But I was stupid. I did something stupid, and I will always regret that.

"_Work_ got hectic?" I asked her, my eyebrows raised, now forcing my eyes too look at the mug of coffee in front of me. Annabeth's eyes hardened a bit, finally realizing what was going on here.

"Yes, _work_ got hectic," Annabeth repeated, her voice pained slightly but mainly angry.

"Oh," I toyed with my cup again. Annabeth crossed her arms, her grey eyes with 'if looks could kill'.

"_Oh?_ Percy, cut to the chase. What are you trying to say?" Annabeth asked, with the 'no nonsense' look she gave Luke whenever she was trying to make him confess to something.

"I'm just saying that it is a bit late for work," I shrugged.

"Yeah, as I said it was hectic," Annabeth let her voice get louder. I didn't know what I was supposed to say next. Considering she wasn't going to let it go for a while, I came up with what I've been thinking of for a long time.

"Who's Peter?" I asked, not able to look up into her eyes.

"What?" Annabeth asked looking straight at me, like she was picturing how to kill me. Whatever it was going to be, I knew it would be painful, messy, and ironic, like electrocution or ran over by a horse.

"I saw his picture, and I want to know why you didn't tell me," I answered finally looking straight into her angry grey eyes. I don't think I've seen her that angry in ages.

"You're kidding me, right?" Annabeth asked.

"No, Annabeth, why didn't you tell me?" I asked again, trying to hide the fear that I had from whatever I was about to hear.

"I can't believe you," Annabeth got up from the table and stomped over to go the stairs. I followed after her, not ready to let this end.

"Just tell me, Annabeth," I almost begged as I pulled her arm back to where Annabeth was looking at me. Her grey eyes were full of tears. As one fell down her rosy cheek, I felt my heart become flooded with guilt. Something in me wanted to stop more from coming, but it was too late for that.

It was too late.

I made my choice, and I had to stick to it.

"Get out, Percy Jackson. Get out," her spat at me. I stepped back a little hurt and shook my head and started to say a 'no'. "Percy, either you can go or I can go. I think it would be a whole lot easier on Luke if I was the one to stay. So, just get out."

"Annabeth-" I started off, prepared to apologize to her. I was really sorry, to tell you the truth.

"Get out, Percy," Annabeth forced her arm free of mine and walked away.

"I'm sorry," I tried to call out, but either she didn't hear me or she didn't care.

"Just go, Perseus," her voice was small, but I still managed to hear her.

**Yeah… a fight. Peter was supposed to just be something in the story, but this seemed like a good twist. So, Peter, congrats, you've been promoted. Well, I skipped a lot of the pregnancy, I know. She's seven months as I said earlier. I am currently looking for a name for the sequel. It'll be about Annabeth and Percy raising two kids. **

**So, I really need you to give me some ideas. All things will be credited of course. **

**I know if the baby will be a boy or girl, but what do you think?**


	28. Chapter 28

**Annabeth:**

I sat on the stairs, once again staring at the door. I told him to leave to leave two hours ago, and he left saying something like 'I am so sorry' or something. But I made sure to tune him out.

Now, I was wishing against it. I couldn't sleep. I can assure you, I've tried. All I can think about is the look in his eyes when he asked me about Peter. He just… he didn't trust me.

Isn't a marriage supposed to be about trust?

I trust him with every ounce of my body. I wiped at my cheeks again, knowing how terrible I had to look from all of the crying I had been doing. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to call him, have him come home, apologize, and know that we were going to be fine.

But I couldn't.

He didn't trust me. I'm his wife and mother of both of his children, and he doesn't trust me. I've been in love with him forever. I just…

Tears started falling down again on me as I clutched my knees to my chest. I couldn't believe how I was just sitting there, barely able to breathe. Was this the end for us? Without trust, there can't be a relationship. What about the baby? I'm seven months along. It'll be coming soon enough, and I don't want both of my children to be without a father.

Oh my gods, Luke!

His father already left once. How am I going to tell him that Percy's gone again? He'll be crushed. I have to lie. There's no choice. Percy and I need to wrap this up fast, however we plan to work it out. Speaking of hard things to say, how am I going to bring up Peter?

_I fiddled with my necklace as I looked at myself in the mirror. It was five months since I started dating Peter. Well, now I suppose it's dating. It started as something completely different. He had been my friend from work. We were always close, and he had come over one day to help me with Luke. It was late, and he was about to go home. I don't know if it was just being drunk or really depressed about Percy, but we kissed and… I think I'll just leave that one out. _

_Afterwards, we just kept on. _

_He's just like Percy, other than his looks. He has blonde hair, instead of Percy's black hair. His brown eyes still had the same sparkle that Percy had. He wasn't as tall as Percy, either, gut he was still taller than me. He was a little more 'jokey' than Percy. Otherwise, they were exactly the same. I know it'll sound wrong, but it's like I can replace him with Peter. I still love Percy, and I always will. But Peter has helped me understand that it_ did_ happen, and I can't do anything else about it._

_I smiled at myself one last time, and I took a deep breathe. Knocking on the door, I smiled a true smile, something that hadn't been there in a long time. I could feel my knees almost buckle with excitement. My heart beat harder and harder until it was basically just as loud as the cries Luke called out in the middle of the night. _

_The door opened, and Peter looked at me. It was then that I pieced together something was wrong. _

_**XXXXXXXX**_

_I sat alone in the townhouse, staring_ off _into space again. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. He was gone. I lost him. He was supposed to replace Percy, and he did an amazing job at that. He was just like Percy. but barely. _

_Things were different this time, I guess. _

_His mom was sick, and he needed to go to Denver to help take care of his baby brother, Jack, who was fourteen years younger than him. I wasn't worth the strain of a long-distance relationship. He was the first father figure Luke ever got. He was the guy I thought I could end up with… I thought he could help me get over Percy. I thought he could become Percy. I know how crazy that is, but it's true. _

_During the time he sat down and talked to me, we told each other everything. _

_And I mean _everything.

_I wasn't the only girl who was going to get this talk. He didn't know that we were serious. I don't know what he thought, but he didn't see us as serious. So, it's over. I was cheated on, not worth a long-term relationship, and dumped in one day. What else can happen to me this time?_

_I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I was alone again. I was right back where I started, if not worse. _

I didn't know how I was supposed to tell Percy that. I don't even like to think about it. I fake that it never did. It's always worked for me until now. I hate talking about Peter. He was cheating on me with one of my close friends, Ellie. She didn't know that I was dating him either. Afterwards, we couldn't talk. So, Peter ruined a friendship on top of breaking my heart. Until I looked in that scrapbook, I had completely forgotten about him. He was just some faint memory of a guy I used to work with.

I wished I could have just told Percy this story, but I've lost everything I've ever cared about. I know the signs. And it all starts with losing trust. Anyone remember how Percy proposed again? I couldn't trust him and left him. This feels like an awful spin-off that ABC family would try to put on from that.

What the Zuesin' Hades happens now? I hate not knowing things. It's like poison to Athena child. No, it's like listening to an Apollo concert in a pair of heels and a tight dress that are killing you, hoping to go home to get out of them, but he won't shut up. Yeah, that's what I choose to compare it to. Problem with it? I didn't think so.

_**Percy:**_

"Annabeth," I sighed with relief. I waited a few moments as the line crackled from her not saying anything. I suddenly began to worry about her hanging up on me.

"Perseus," her voice was cold and distant. I could tell then that this wasn't going to be the 'make-up' moment I had hoped for.

"Luke's missed you. I had to tell him you were out of town for work," her voice softened for a minute, and I knew she wasn't just talking about Luke.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, still worried for her. She doesn't need a lot of excitement, and I'm pretty sure this is the definition of excitement.

"I'm fine, Percy," Annabeth mumbled.

"I miss you, Annie," I took a leap of faith and told her, crossing my fingers she would say the same. I desperately wanted to go home. I couldn't go to Grover's, his parents are in town to see his daughter. And that was just about the only person I could handle staying with because I know how my mom would be if I went to her. So, I'm stuck at a hotel, counting the seconds until Annabeth will say I can go home.

"Luke wants to talk to you," Annabeth changed the subject and left the line. Perfect, how long is this going to continue? Am I going to be trying to get my wife to listen to me about how much I miss her at Luke's graduation? Because that's the picture I'm starting to get at. A few moments later, the bubbly giggle of my three year old son came through the line.

"Daddy," his voice was just as bubbly as his giggle. A smile played across my lips that probably wasn't nearly as wide as Luke's. A pang of sorrow hit me as I realized just how much I missed him and his mother.

A shiver ran down my spine as I thought about what Thalia did on our wedding day. While Annabeth was talking with her father, Thalia cornered me with those blue eyes of hers angrier than a hornet after it's nest had just been destroyed. I had to spend the next ten minutes listening to her warning me that if I hurt Annabeth, I'd get a fate worse than death. Does Thalia know about this all happening because if she does, I have much more to worry about than this, like my two children growing up with a deceased father.

"I miss you so much, Buddy," I told him, trying to keep in the story that Annabeth gave me in my head so I wouldn't say anything stupid.

"Cally came over yesterday," Luke started off the conversation excitedly.

**XXXXXXXX**

"Luke, can you give the phone to Mommy?" I asked after he told me that it was his bedtime. He said yes and a few moments later I could hear the phone being handed to Annabeth.

"Lucas, go get ready for bed, okay, Sweetie?" Annabeth's voice didn't seem to be directed at me. I took a deep breath, anticipating what I planned on saying to her. Whatever I said, I knew she'd most likely stay closed and cold towards me, but it was worth a shot. I heard what I'm pretty sure was a 'Fine' and a huff from Luke and knew it was time to talk to her.

"Yes, Perseus?" Annabeth's soothing voice asked. She didn't seem as frigid as before, but it was only a matter of time.

"I really am sorry, Annabeth," I told her once again.

"No, you're not, Percy," she sighed.

"Yes, I am. Why would I lie about that?" I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

"Perce, you meant what you said. You're sorry that I got mad and kicked you out. What do you and I have if we can't trust each other?" Annabeth asked me, knowing she was right.

"You're right, I guess. I did mean what I said, but I was just upset. I missed spending time with you. Everything has been so messed up recently," I sighed along with her. I didn't know what I needed to say then.

"It is," Annabeth became distant for a moment, like she was thinking of something, "But you didn't have to accuse me of cheating to get out of it."

I heard a click, and the next thing I knew, the line was dead. I wanted to be mad at her for hanging up on me, but she had a good point. I didn't have to accuse her of that. I could have tried to make time for her. I could have stuck around until finally we were back to normal again or at least I could have learned this new way. It would have been a whole lot better if I did, but I didn't.

Now, I had to find a way back in.

_**Sorry I had this basically finished for a while, but I didn't upload it for a reason. **_

_**Thursday was officially the worst day of my life. Remember that guy, Seth? Well, Libby can have him. I don't want him anymore. He turned into an ass. I don't even want to talk about him.**_

_**But my best friends from the time I was in third grade, Swett and Elijah, left my school. Elijah told me that he may move, but I tried not to think about it. Now, he's gone and I have no way to contact him. I had talked to Swett and thought he was coming back a few days before, and I had a breakdown when I found out he wasn't. Now, I left that school realizing it wasn't best and I am starting Georgia Cyber Academy the fifteenth. I know, everything has changed, huh? **_

_**Good news though, my mom and I are trying to get my book published by Christmas or at least have a publisher lined up by then. **_

_**STILL NEED HELP WITH NAME FOR THE SEQUEL OF THIS!**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Annabeth Chase-Jackson14:**_ Well, thanks. I just might have to take you up on that. Anyway, thank you everyone for your support. I just wish my best friend, Rachael, and my other friends could be so great. I guess they just don't get what I'm dealing with. Thank you so much :]

_**Percabeth forever 98:**_ That guy is terrible, and I know we've already spoken but I wanted to say thanks so much for letting me vent. I would have gone crazy if you hadn't been there. I owe you so much! This chapter is for you!

_**FutureNovelist887:**_ Oh my Zuessin' gods! You are so sweet! I can only hope that I can be as sweet as you. Thank you so much! I hope to have it published and, if it ever does, I swear to have some little Author's Note in it for you. I mean, I may not have finished it if you hadn't been there. There were sometimes where I thought I would just quit because I was drawn at a blank, but I read a review from you and BAM! I had an idea and kept it going.

_**wisegirl502:**_ I know, right? Well, that's just what you get when you pair a non-trusting, beautiful, much-smarter-than-her-husband, stubborn-as-a-mule girl with a loyal, clueless, stubborn-as-a-spoiled-brat-demanding-candy, Seaweed Brain boy together. Hey, I got bored, so don't think I'm stalking you or anything, and read your profile. I starting laughing like the dork I am.

_**Well, I will keep the story for ransom no longer. Here ya go, my little freak-uh, readers *blushes and forces eyes away***_

**Annabeth:**

"Well, Annie, what are you going to do?" Rachel crossed her arms as she looked at me. It had been two weeks already since Percy left, and I wasn't nearly ready to let him back in yet. I loved him more and more each day that he was gone, but my anger grew at the same rate.

"I don't know," I looked down at my cup of coffee, suddenly feeling nervous about wherever she was about to take this conversation. I really didn't feel like listening to her telling me that I should make-up with Percy. Personally, I do want to, but I really wish she would stop badgering me about it.

"Annabeth, I mean that it has been two freakin' weeks. The next thing you know, it'll be two months. Then it'll be two years, and with every day you don't talk to him, things get harder," Rachel looked at me dead straight in the eyes. I felt sick to my stomach and had to keep my eyes on the mug of coffee instead of my best friend.

"You don't get it, Rachel," I sighed.

"No, I do get it. He shouldn't have said that, but you overreacted. You know that, too, Annabeth. Now, stop being so stubborn, and talk to your husband!" Rachel yelled at me, her St. Patrick's Day green eyes full of anger. I felt a sharp pain, and it rendered me silent. Rachel's eyes softened, and she sighed again.

"Oh, Sweetie, I am so sorry. I was just-" Rachel began.

"Rachel," I cut in.

"No, Annabeth, I just don't want you to miss out because you got in a fight with Percy. It's all y-" Rachel started to say.

"No, Rachel," I stopped her yet again, hoping she'd stop.

"-ou're decision. Whatever you think is best. It's your marriage, not mine."

"Rachel!" I screeched. She stopped to look at me, finally understanding that something was indeed wrong. Really, she takes longer than Percy.

"What is it, Annabeth?" Rachel asked. Another pain hit me, and I couldn't answer the question for another moment.

"I'm in labor," I said nonchalantly.

"Oh, well then- Wait, what?" Rachel looked at me. I simply nodded, not really sure what to say. Rachel kicked herself into overdrive.

_**Percy:**_

I typed away on my laptop furiously as if I was taking out my anger on my work, which I suppose I was. I had been working myself to death ever since that fight with Annabeth. If anything food was going to come out of that, it was going to be that I was probably about to get a promotion.

I turned the news up a bit louder as if to drown out the name 'Annabeth' from my mind. Sure, it was an impossible feat, but I could try. Then again, I can try just about everything. Now, will it work? No, but I might as well keep up to date on which senator I should hate this time.

I felt a sudden buzz on the bed and turned to my i-phone. A picture of a smiling red head with shining green eyes wearing a sombrero from Spring Break when we were in high school. A high pitched 'RRRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!' came from the speakers. I turned down the volume on the TV and picked up the phone.

"Percy!" her voice yelled so loud that I thought I was about to go deaf. I swear, before I found out about Luke and took care of him when he felt so sick he screamed every ten minutes, I would have gotten a migraine from it. Rachel's breathing labored as if she was having a panic attack right there.

"Are you okay, Rach?" I asked worriedly. Why would she call me when she was like this? Is she dying? I think she's dying.

"I'm-I'm-" Rachel took a deep, calming breathe. She regained her composure once more before returning to whatever 'conversation' was trying to take place here.

"Do you need me to hang up and call you back later?" I asked with a smirk.

"No, no, I'm fine, but Annabeth's not so great-" Rachel started to tell me. I felt my heart race and dread flood my body.

"What's wrong with Annabeth?" I asked, scared to death and completely forgetting the world around me. She was all that really mattered at me other than Luke. They're all I need in life.

"Take a chill pill, Jackson. She's not dying," I let myself relax for a moment, "But she _is_ in labor."

"Oh, thank god," I took a deep breathe, "Wait, she's _what_?"

_**So, final chapter coming up. :[**_

_**Anyway, I need a new name for the Sequel. I wont publish the last chapter until I have a sneak peak at the new story written up. So, it could be a while until that comes along. I hope that everyone who read this story will follow the new one and maybe even a few more readers will come ;). Ugh, sometimes I just hate my life. Why does it have to be so Zuessin' dramatic? **_


	30. Finale

_**MY NEW STORY IS GOING TO PREMIER IN SEVEN DAYS ON AUGUST NINETEENTH! IT'LL BE THE SEQUEL! THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THIS IS THE SNEAK PEAK!**_

_**Percy:**_

_**The next day:**_

I took a picture of Annabeth and the baby in her arms on my iphone as they both continued to sleep. Seven hours ago, I became the father of two. Annabeth didn't say anything to me. It was as if she was pretending I wasn't there because Rachel would kill her if Annabeth threw me out. My phone buzzed in my hand, and the picture of my baby sister popped up on the screen. Not wanting to take the chance of waking both the baby and Annabeth up, I went to the hall to answer the phone.

"Cally?" I asked in a whisper from having to whisper to Rachel when Annabeth fell asleep before she left. I quickly cleared my voice to see if that could fix it. I really wasn't in the mood for friendly, sibling smirks.

"Percy!" she giddily said into the phone. I closed my eyes tightly to see if that could get rid of how much her scream hurt my head when I had been hearing only whispers for the last few hours.

"Hi, Cal," I responded, trying to regain a seriousness, but I can't help it. The second I talk to my sister, every bit of my solemnness is stripped away. She's like a bottle of antidepressants mixed into a white mocha cappuccino. You can't help but get perky.

"How's Annabeth? Is it a girl or boy? When are you getting home? Did you make up?" Cally immediately started rattling question after question until I could barely remember what her first question had been.

"Calypso, calm down. You know I don't understand you when you do that," I told her once again. I had been telling her that from the day she learned to talk. Really, I don't know where she gets it from. I mean, I had ADD. So, I was always giddy, but I didn't talk a mile-a-minute. She definitely didn't get that from my mom. Maybe Paul has a dark side I don't know about. I was broken out of a daydream of my step-father in the mob or something like that by the penetrating, thirteen year old voice of my sister.

"Fine. How. Is. Ah-na-beth? Better?" Cally asked in that smartalik voice I knew was definitely from me. I really do feel for my poor mother. She has to handle her two grandchildren, her thirteen year old daughter, and me. I will never understand how she kept her sanity.

"Yes, it is better, thank you very much," I did the older-sibling thing I love to do, "But, yeah, she's fine. I'd put you on if she wasn't asleep," I shrugged.

"Oh," Cally tried not to seem disappointed. I was a little insulted that she didn't want to talk to me, but I brushed it off. I'm not the one who went through labor. No, I was the one who had to know she was going through all of that pain because of me and the only thing going through her mind was probably 'He really isn't worth this'. I don't know which is worse.

"Well, do I have a niece or nephew?" Cally regained her excited behavior.

"Technically, you already have a nephew," I pointed out.

"But mom," Cally begged at her mother. Cally returned her attention to me, "Percy, here's mom."

The line crackled as it was being handed away. Dread filled me. I knew what my mother was going to say. I know that I need to make-up with Annabeth, but she doesn't want to talk to me. It's not my fault. If it had been up to me, I wouldn't have left.

"Percy, how are you?" my mother asked. I was a little surprised from the question. Again, not the one that just went through labor. Just want to point that out.

"I'm fine, Mom," I lied, with a shrug. I wasn't 'fine'. I missed Annabeth. I missed Luke, and I didn't want to miss my new baby. I want to go home and have everything be fine again. I don't think Annabeth is cheating. I just thought she was keeping something from me, but I don't care anymore. She can keep all the secrets she wants. I just want her back.

"No, you're not," my mother pointed out.

"Okay, I'm not okay. My wife doesn't want anything to do with me. I haven't seen my son in forever. I don't even know if I will get to be around my new child much. So, yeah, I am not fine," I didn't mean for it to come out like that, but it did.

"How's Annabeth?" my mom seemed to see how I really was not in the mood for this conversation. I told her the same thing I told Cally. She was fine and asleep at the moment. The conversation felt mechanical. It felt like the same conversation every new father had to their mother. Nothing was new about it. I mean, my father is the god of the sea. Shouldn't everything be different for me? I hate being normal. Then again, I've never been normal, but still. I don't want to be to normal.

"When can the baby come home?" Mom asked me. I shrugged. What's up with everyone asking me questions I don't know. Am I just supposed to know or are they being annoying by asking questions they know I wont know? I vote the second one.

"Soon, I guess."

"When can you go home?" Mom asked. Yup, it is definitely the second one.

"I'm going to try to talk to Annabeth," I answered, wanting to change the subject.

**X X X X X X V X X X X X X X X X **

I walked back in hospital room to see Annabeth's grey eyes were blinking open. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the begging I was about to do, but I couldn't help but smile at the sight. Annabeth looked peaceful and innocent as she started to wake up, and I pretty much smile every time I look at the baby. So, you get what I'm going at, right?

**Annabeth:**

**Same moment:**

I blinked for a few moments to try to wake myself up. I still felt weak, and I needed to go to sleep for a while longer. But I really wanted to talk to Percy. If Rachel was right about anything at all, I needed to talk to Percy. If not for me, it's for our children. They come first, just as a rule.

Well, that and I miss my stupid Seaweed Brain.

Percy was walking in the room with a smile, and I couldn't help but notice how much I really did miss him. I let a smile cover my face, but I didn't want him to know I was smiling at him yet. So, I turned my attention to the newborn in my arms.

"We have a beautiful baby, huh?" Percy smiled. I looked up at his shining sea green eyes and nodded.

"We do," I looked back down at the little girl in my arms. Her sweet grey eyes were closed in slumber. Other than her head of black hair, she looked just like I did when I was a baby. But there was something about her that just reminded me of her father. I don't know what it is, but if you knew Percy, you'd see it.

"She looks just like you," Percy came closer to where he was on his knees so we could be face to face. I don't know what it was, but I knew that this was the moment to tell him. Now or never, and I wasn't letting him slip away again. My eyes watered as I thought of the possibility that I may lose him once more and for good this time.

"I am so sorry, Percy," one tear disobeyed my wishes of not crying, "I was just-just' I couldn't finish the sentence.

"It's okay," Percy wiped away the tear, and smiled warmly at me, "It was my fault. I know you wouldn't cheat on me. I thought you were keeping something from me, but it's your life, not mine. I know there would be a reason you wouldn't tell me. I love you, Annabeth."

"I love you, too, Percy," I smiled. A few moments later, I felt Percy's lips crash onto mine. I would have smiled, but my lips were a little busy. It was then that I remembered why we had started this fight, and I was going to end this. It'll ruin the moment, yes, but still. I lied to him, and he was about to get the truth. I pushed Percy off me to where he was looking at me, completely shocked.

"You want to know who Peter is?" I asked, looking straight into his sea green eyes. I really don't want to have to talk about it, but if he really wants to know, here we go.

"I do, Annabeth," he took my hand and nodded.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**One Week Later: **

I rocked my daughter in my arms once more and stifled a yawn. I was dog-tired. I hadnt gotten a good night's sleep since the baby was born. I 'ssshhhed' at the baby as I noticed she was probably about to cry. She 'hmm'ed, and I couldn't hold back a smile.

A knock came from the door of the nursery, and I called out that it was open. A few moments later, Percy walked through the door, holding Luke's hand. Luke's green eyes looked at me and the baby with curiosity. Percy was smiling as he looked from our daughter to our son.

"Hey, Luka. How was Grandma's?" I smiled at Luke. He had only met his sister once, when he visited at the hospital. He's spent the last week with Sally while we were getting used to the baby. He's barely even met his sister. So, I can't help but be worried about what'll happen when he really meets her.

"Grandma's was fun," Luke couldn't take his eyes off the baby in the light green blanket. Just about everything in this nursery was green, right down to the pacifier. What? I might as well be color-coordinated.

"Do you want to meet your baby sister?" Percy asked him, with a gentle smile. Luke still seemed to be mesmerized by the little girl, but, somehow, he managed to nod a yes. I got down on my knees, careful to not stir the little girl in my arms.

Luke didn't know what to say. Instead, he just looked at his sister. I didn't know what to do. When Percy met his little sister, he wasn't a little kid. He understood things better. He simply took the baby in his arms and let his parents get some rest. All Luke could do was look at the newborn.

"Thah-thah-" Luke tried to pronounce her name. I knew it could take him years before he could. I always wanted a big family, but, let me tell you, this is the last one. So, I had like twenty names picked out, and Percy was no help with the name choosing.

So, don't ever reacted.

Okay, this will take a very deep breathe.

Thalia-Sofia Athena Jackson.

You know, now that I look back on it, maybe I should have names her Olivia. Well, too late for that one.

"Call her Sophie," I smiled at my son.

"Sophie," he looked back down at her. I don't know what he was thinking but I could tell he was making a promise to himself and Sophie just like Percy did when he first met Cally. All I could think to do was watch him with curiosity.

"Lucas, can you watch Sophie for a minute while I talk with Daddy for a second?" I asked, with a motherly smile. Luke seemed a bit hesitant.

"All you'll have to do is call me when she starts crying, okay?" I smiled again. Luke finally needed, and I got up to put Sophie in her crib. Percy whispered something to Luke before I walked over to Percy. I took his hand and led him out the door, closing the door behind me.

A few moments later, Percy's arms were wrapped around me. Our lips met, and I felt the sparks I felt the first time we kissed. It was enough to get high off. We kissed until we could no longer hold our breathe, and, when we did stop, our foreheads met to where we were staring deep into each other's eyes.

"You know, you could have picked a shorter name," Percy smirked.

"If you didn't like it, you should have piped up," I bantered.

"You were already mad at me. I didn't want to make it all worse," Percy shrugged as if he knew he was right, which he knew he was not. He never is. Okay, fine, that is overdoing it, but still. That doesn't matter. at all.

"It's your daughter. It's a given that you help with the name, no matter how mad the mother is," I told him as well. Does he try to be such a Seaweed Brain? I mean, seriously. Not even Perseus Jackson can be like this naturally.

"I'm sorry, Annabeth," Percy looked straight into my eyes, and I knew he was about to do something I wasn't going to like.

"I looked up Peter and got his number. It's up to you, but I think you should talk to him," Percy told me like he was my father, not my husband.

"Percy, I don't-" I started off, not wanting to do it.

"You let him get to you. He cheated on you, and he is terrible. But did you see how this all went? It all happened for that one guy because he broke your heart. Annabeth, you don't have to talk to him, but I really think you should," Percy didn't smile but kept a neutral face.

"I…" I was about to say no before I looked into his eyes. He was serious. Even worse, he was _right_.

"Okay," I nodded.

_**Percy:**_

I refilled my wine glass and filled one for Annabeth before I walked back into the living room. Annabeth had a solemn look about her as she continued to talk on her cell phone. I handed her a glass of wine, and Annabeth mouthed a thank you. Both of the kids were asleep at the moment. Annabeth had been talking to Peter for about forty-five minutes. I've been spending most of that time either checking on Sophie or sitting on the sofa beside her, giving her silent moral support. I was now doing the exact same thing.

"Yeah, I'm glad we've cleared this up, too, Peter," Annabeth nodded, "Of course. Bye, Peter."

Annabeth pressed the hang-up button on her cell phone and took a long sip of wine before looking at me. She clutched my hand and sighed.

"Thank you for making me do that, Percy," Annabeth made a crisp smile. She still seemed cold from talking to Peter, but I didn't mind much. It was best that this happened. She needed this. _I_ needed this, to tell you the truth.

I wrapped my arms around her, and she tried to smile again. I could tell she probably was about to burst out into tears, but she held herself back. If there was anything Annabeth does the best, it's holding back tears. Annabeth seemed to be at a drawn for words as I kissed the side of her head, which something I thought I'd never see from Annabeth.

"I thought you said I was going to feel better after doing that," Annabeth complained.

"It will, Annabeth. Just give it some time," I clutched her tighter to me, and she rested her head on my chest.

"It better," Annabeth's voice was full of sadness like it pained her to even acknowledge it. Honestly, I didn't know what I could do. In all these years, nothing like this has happened. I'm at a draw, and I really don't like being at a draw. Don't ask. I just don't.

I was about to say something when the cry of a baby ended the moment and let me off the hook. Annabeth laughed a little bit at the timing, and I would have done the same if I wasn't at a draw. (Curse that evil draw!) She gave me a quick kiss before she got up to go take care of Sophie.

"I'll take this one," Annabeth smiled. I nodded and mouthed a 'Thank you'.

**Well, yeah. That was lame, huh? I always expected more for an ending, but this will just have to work. **

**Thank you everyone for reading this! I am so glad that you did in fact even read this far. Here we go. **

**I am so happy that this time I didn't cry. You should have seen me when I wrote the last chapter of We All Grow Up Even Percabeth. I was like some Belieber who just found out that he got married and died on his honeymoon. Well, okay, no, I wasn't nearly that bad, but still. I was crying like a baby, still. I was a complete mess, but I survived this time. Well, I was going to put in a small sneak peak of the new story in the next chapter, but I got too distracted and wrote a huge thing! You'll still get in the next chapter. So tune in. Anyway, you'll love it, I swear. So, here we go. You're not going to have a final authors note or something. Enjoy it while you can! **

**So, be sure to read it. LOVE YA'!**


	31. Sneak Peak to the Sequel

**Annabeth:**

"Daddy!" I smiled as I hugged my father. His hair was greying, and his wrinkles had set into his face. But his eyes were as youthful as I've ever seen him, and the smile on his face was still electric and genuine. Dad looked just like he had years ago, the only difference being the number on his license. He was wearing his usual of kakis, a white button-up being hidden all except for the top by a blue plaid sweater, loafers, and a black business jacket. He had worn basically the same outfit from the time I was five years old.

"Annie, I missed you so much," Dad told me while we were both in a hug. I smirked as we both left the hug, and I crossed my arms.

"Don't call me Annie," I warned him once more.

"I'm your father. I can call you whatever I want, _Annie_," he smirked.

_Like father, like daughter, _I thought with a roll of my eyes. It was then that I saw the smiling face of my step-mother. Her beautiful black eyes were shining as she looked at me, and I couldn't help but smile as well. While forever she won't be my mother, I still love her, just like how I love Sally. They're my only mother-figures, I suppose. I have to love them, no matter what.

My step-mother, Karen, **[A/N: they never really said her name. so, I'll just call it that then. K? We all good here? Good] **was beautiful. Her short, lean frame was maximized by a red, wrap top, a pair of black heels to make her seem taller, wide legged black trousers, and a silver necklace with a ruby pendant. Her black bun was held into place by a bunch of bobby-pins and a matching red clip. Her ruby red lips positioned themselves in a warm smile, and I noticed how she too looked like she had years ago. I felt like the only one who's look had changed, and not for the best.

"Karen," I smiled as she almost tackled me in a hug. Even in her heels, I was a good five inches taller than her.

"Annabeth, you look so beautiful, Darling," she complimented. You know, I really like being around her. She always gives me compliments! Seriously, she always does! Not once has she not when I've come to visit her or she's visited. I don't think I've ever has such a good quest.

"Thanks," I tried not to sound like I loved it just as much as I did.

"If we're done with the hugging, where's the birthday boy?" Bobby asked, with a mischievous grin. Being identical, it can be impossible to tell them apart sometimes. I'm they're older sister, and sometimes I just have to say 'You' because I cant tell them apart. But as they grew older, it became easier and easier. Matthew was the most responsible of the two. He dresses like our father, acts like our father, and even is in school studying to have the same job. Dad was his hero, so he became him. Bobby didn't go the same way. He was still a genius, like all of us, but not necessarily in the same way. He was 'political' smart. The only party-animal of all of us, he is known as the Casanova of Boston. He is currently running for mayor down there. Anyway, you could tell them apart by the way he did just about everything.

I think this would just be easiest:

Bobby- confident and charismatic Matthew- shy and a little dorky

Bobby- great with every girl except for his older sister Matthew- bad with every girl except for his sister

Bobby- takes pride and pays attention to his appearance Matthew-as long as he is wearing something, he's fine

The differences continue, but, even though nothing alike, they get along like best friends. It's actually a little sweet, to tell you the truth.

"Luke's in his room, _Bobert_," I smirked. If there was anything Bobby hated, it was me calling Bobert. I don't know if he just doesn't like the name or he doesn't like me calling him that. Bobby's grin fell and he shot me a death glare before walking up the stairs to Luke without another world.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not letting_ two_ four year old be alone in a room. I'll keep an eye on them," Matthew grinned and went after his twin brother, leaving me in a room alone with my father and step-mother. Oh great.

"How's Sophie?" Karen smiled a 'Proud-Grandparent' smile. It felt weird to see it as I had seen it only a few months ago when my mother came to visit me and Sophie in the hospital. Athena still didn't approve of Percy, but she said that he actually did something right for once. Maybe it's the time wearing down the fight or the two shared grandchildren, but Athena and Poseidon have given a truce. It's amazing. They even popped over to Athens to declare it. It was a great moment, I hear. This'll sound crazy, but the moment it happened, something felt better about the day. Percy and I got along better, and the moment felt so much sweeter. It was three hours later that Rachel called us excitedly to tell us about the truce, and everything made sense.

"She's great, Karen," I smiled, "She's upstairs in her room with Percy if you want to see her," I could tell by the look in her eyes she had been waiting for that from the moment she got off the plane from California.

"Well, I might as well," she faked that she hadn't been thinking about it forever, "The room beside Luke's?"

"That's the one," I smiled, trying to force myself not to laugh. The petite woman bounded up the stairs after her sons, and I looked back at my father. I love Karen and how happy she makes him, but there are some days where I miss when it was just the two of us. I was Daddy's Little Girls. He would read the Iliad to me when I couldn't sleep, and, when that didn't work because I was too interested in the story, he'd carry me to the living room. I'd get the Oreos, and he got the milk and movie. We'd stay up watching some cartoon movie until I'd fall asleep on the couch, and my dad would carry me back to my room where he'd put me back into bed, making sure I had my favorite owl stuffed animal that my mom left me. Then again, I was only four at the time, but that could have continued when I got older. When Karen came around, if I couldn't sleep, she'd read me some stupid kids book that was so far under my intelligence that I fell asleep right then. My dad spent a lot of time with Karen, too. I wasn't Daddy's only girl. Then the twins came, and everything changed. A few years later, I was gone. It took me years, but I came to a point where I actually loved being around my dad again.

"You do know she's been thinking about that since we found out about Sophie, right?" Dad's brown eyes sparkled, like I hadn't seen them sparkle in a long time. In fact, the last time they sparkled so bright was the first time he met his grandson. I had missed him like crazy. I love New York. I always will, but part of me misses the warm, crisp air of California. I miss the how the sun would warm my skin after being in my overly-air-conditioned office all day. Sure, I love how we actually get seasons down here instead of hot and hotter, but you can't help but miss home.

"It's hard to miss it," I smirked, "So, how've you been?" I asked as if I didn't talk to him all the time. Luke had gotten used to spending so much time with his grandparents that he now has to talk to them at least once a week. I have to admit, it is a bit weird, but I don't really mind. It gives me an excuse to vent to Sally and see how my ex-home, California, is. Now, Luke hasn't given me a reason for when I call my brothers to say it was about my kids, but maybe Sophie can give me a reason.

"Good, I guess. I was a little worried when Matthew accidentally blabbed that you and Percy were separated," Dad crossed his tweed-covered arms to look at me. I looked down at my 'gel-massage-thingy' inserted grey flats. I hadn't told my father for a reason, not just by accident or anything. He was worried about me when we just dating simply. When we got married, he got a million times worse. I thought that I could handle it myself, which I did thank you very much1 So, I never told my dad. I mean, Percy and I worked it out. We got back together, worked through some problems, and were better than ever. What's the real problem here?

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but…" I started of, not really knowing where to go with it. How do you tell your father that you kicked your husband out for two weeks because he accused you of cheating? It doesn't even sound easy, and it's easier said than done!

"Annabeth, I know that he did something stupid. You got mad and kicked him out. After Sophie was born, you made up. So, all I want to know is what the stupid thing was," my father cut to the chase just as he had taught me to do. Get it? Cut to the _'chase'_? As in our last name? Okay, whatever.

"We has kind of been fighting earlier, and we were also very stressed with everything going on. You remember Peter, right?" I asked. Out of everyone I dated, I only brought two boys home to meat dad. So, I suppose he just has to remember them as I ended marrying one of them.

"Yeah, he was the blonde kid, right?" he shrugged as if he had been dozens of my boyfriends instead of only about two. I nodded, trying not to seem agitated.

"Yeah, Dad, he was named Peter, you know. Anyway, as I was saying, I hadn't told Percy about him, and he found out. We got in a fight about how I had never told him about Peter, and some things were suggested. So, I told him that either I could go and take Luke or he could go. So for the sake of our son, he left, and I told Luke he had to go off for work for a while. _But_," I smiled as I was now reaching the good part of the story, "We have worked it all out. I finally made peace with the demon that came with Peter. So, it worked out for the best," I tried to smile like it may stop him from making a big deal about it, which I knew it wouldn't. You have to admit, though. It was worth the shot that it might.

"Annabeth…" Dad started. I let out a huff and crossed my arms like I was teenager again, preparing for the speech. Actually, everything around me brought me back. I could imagine my father younger, me in a pair of jeans and a grey tee shirt, the town house repainted a little bit, two little kids running around the house, Karen chasing after them in a pair of black ballet flats (Don't even get me started. She loved them so much that I was surprised she wasn't a salesman for them). Some of these memories even included me being stubborn with Percy right there beside me, trying to calm me down. If only Percy been there this time.

"I'm proud that you put down your pride for the best choice," my father surprised me. I looked straight up to look at him.

_Whaaaaa?_

"You're _proud_ of me?" I asked, disbelieving.

"Very," my father nodded. I didn't know what to do. This hadn't happened in years. The last time he told me that was when I told Percy about our son finally.

"Well," it still felt odd, but I tried to cope, "Thanks, Dad."

**That Night:**

"Happy birthday, Luka," Matthew squeezed the toddler in his arms before he set him down to stand beside him. His girlfriend who had driven in from Boston, where she is also a professor, smiled at how much his nephew really liked him. This was her first big family get-together. Now, we Chases have rules. You can't bring some little fling to a family gathering. The plus-one you bring has to be serious which is why Bobby has only brought one plus-one ever, and that was when he was back in high school. I've only and always brought Percy, and I married him. So, you get what I'm getting at, right?

"Be good boy for your father," Bobby smirked as he ruffled the toddlers black hair.

"Hey, what about me?" I asked, trying not to laugh or smile. They may be annoying, but I had still missed my little brothers.

"Eh, Luke, you're on your own for that one," Bobby shrugged. To get back at him, I hugged the snot out of that little twerp. Well, I guess I can call him little. They had inherited our fathers height, not their mothers. So, they were at least three inches taller than me.

"Be good," I whispered in his ear.

"You, too, Annabeth," Bobby whispered, not smirking or joking as he usually would have. I gave my baby brother one more squeeze before I went to Luke.

"Can go with Uncle Matthew, please?" Luke did that cute toddler puppy dog eyes as he begged. I have to admit, he looks just like his father. I mean, right down to the way his green eyes shined against his olive skin. Honestly? It was creeping me the Hades out of me. Was Sophie going to look like that? Wait.

What if she looks just like me?

Now that would definitely creep me out.

"Uh-uh," I shook my head, knowing it wasn't going to be that easy. It never is.

"But please?" Luke looked me straight in my eyes. I admit, I had to take a moment to recover. Whenever he did that, it always took me back to all the moments Percy and I both thought he was about to die. He would look in me in the eyes as if he was begging me to help him, but I couldn't do a thing. His eyes would always shift to 'Take care of yourself, Annie' which was a million times worse than the first. I had to force myself back to my son in front of me.

"Fine," I smiled with a plan, "But Wabbie has to stay here," I tried not to smirk as I knew I had just won.

"Well, I think I might want to stay for Sophie," Luke looked down. Matthew shook his head and ruffled his black hair once more.

"It was wonderful to meet you, Lisa," I smiled at Matthew's girlfriend. She still seemed a little mesmerized by how much Luke wanted to be with his uncle, but she managed to nod and reply with 'Likewise, Annabeth'.

"We better get going. You know how bad of a driver Matthew is," Bobby smirked. Followed by a roll of the eyes, Matthew told us goodbye, and the three left, leaving only their parents.

"We'll come see you tomorrow, okay, Luke?" Dad got down on his knees to look at Luke. Luke excitedly nodded with a smile. They exchanged a hug, and Karen did the same.

"Goodnight to all three of you," Karen smiled warmly, as she finally followed her husband through the door.

"It was great to see you," Percy called out to all of them. By now, I was dead tired. Yeah, not dog tired, not wiped out, but dead tired. I just put up with a bunch of four year olds, a newborn, and my family. So, yeah. Get over it.

"I'll clean the kitchen. You put Luke to bed," I whispered to Percy. He mumbled something like 'Why does she get the easy job?' before doing just as I asked. I could get used to this. Getting what I want. Percy doing as I say.

Anyway, I looked around the house to see that it was, honestly, trashed, but that was something I could handle tomorrow. Right now, I just needed to handle the kitchen, which wasn't nearly as messy. Basically, all I had to do was put a few wine glasses and Sippy cups in the dishwasher and throw away the empty bottle of wine. Then, I can go to sleep until Sophie wakes up at four AM. At least I get something, I guess.

I flipped on the switch of the kitchen.

"Ahh!" I let out a whisper scream. What? Even if I was scared, I was so not going to wake up Sophie. Uh-uh, not happening.

In front of me, a tall woman looked back at me. Even in jeans and a blue peasant blouse, she still looked intimidating. She was beautiful, but her grey eyes took center stage. Brown curls tumbled down her back. She hadn't aged a day since I last saw her.

"_Mom_?"

"Annabeth," a gentle smile spread across her light-pink-lipstick covered lips. The lipstick seemed to be the only make-up she wore, as usual. Athena seemed to even look like she was a mom at that point, not just the goddess of wisdom.

I know that there are a lot of better things to say when you haven't seen your mother in months, but I could only come up with one thing to say.

"When did you become a brunette?" Athena let a little laugh out before she shrugged.

"Aphrodite decided to give me a make-over," Athena's grey eyes shined as she looked at me, just like mine did when I looked at Luke or Sophie. I don't know what it was that made me smile, but I did.

"You look good, Mom."

"How's Sophie doing?" Athena took on the 'worried grandmother' role that I had been getting from three people today.

"She's good. She's growing rapidly, but that's just natural," I shrugged, not truly knowing what to say.

"Do you mind if I go wish Luke a happy birthday?" Athena asked with a gentle smile. At that moment, it was hard to picture her as the woman who would do anything to end the war back when I was fifteen. All I could see in this woman was a brilliant young woman who wanted to see her family. Honestly, she reminded me of myself when I came home to visit my little brothers when I went to college.

"Of course not," I smiled, "Percy should have just put him to bed. So, he'll be in his room. Just make sure he goes back into his bed when you leave," Athena let out yet one more motherly, warm smile. I was actually getting a little creeped out by it.

"Thank you, Annabeth," she hugged me. I have to admit, while I did hug back, I was almost scared. This wasn't something we did very often. Usually, when she came to visit, it was because she was mad or something had gone wrong. Hugging didn't quite fit into those categories.

**Well, yeah, this was a totally lame sneak peak, but here it is. See the rest of this chapter on the 8/19/11**


	32. WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER

**Oh my God! **

**I forgot to tell you about the sequel. In case you didnt get it, it's WHAT BRINGS US TOGETHER!**


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